James 4:12

But in fact, there is only one who has the authority to tell people what is right to do and to condemn them, and that is God. He alone is able to save people or to destroy people. So, ◄ you (sg) certainly have no right to decide how God should punish other people./who are you to decide how God should punish other people?► [RHQ]

Translation for Translators

In The King James Version

There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?

In Context

11My fellow believers, stop saying evil things about one another, because those who say something evil about a fellow believer and are therefore condemning one who is like a brother to them are really speaking against the law that God gave us to obey. In this law, God commanded [MTY] us to love others, and those who say evil things about fellow believers, it is as though they are saying that we do not have to do what God commanded. If you (sg) say that you do not have to do what God commanded, you (sg) are not obeying God’s law. Instead, you (sg) are claiming that you have the authority to condemn others.

13Some of you are arrogantly saying, “Today or tomorrow we will go to a certain city. We will spend a year there and we will buy and sell things and earn a lot of money.” Now, you listen to me!

Read all of James 4

Cross References

Job 38:2“◄Who are you to question what I plan to do?/You have no right/authority to question what I plan to do.► [RHQ] You are speaking ignorantly!

Matthew 10:28Do not be afraid of people who are able to kill your body [SYN] but are not able to destroy your soul. Instead, fear God because he is able to destroy both a person’s body and a person’s soul in hell.

Romans 2:1God will severely punish non-Jewish people who habitually do evil things, because he has clearly revealed that he is angry with them. So, when God judges people, he will not excuse any one of you Jews to whom I am writing. You (sg) say that God should punish non-Jews for doing evil things. But when any one of you says that, it is you yourself whom you are saying that God should punish, because you (sg) do some of the same evil things that the non-Jews do.

Romans 14:4God is the master of us all, so ◄ he is the one who will decide whether those people have done wrong!/who are you to decide whether they have done wrong?► [RHQ] Therefore, you have no right [RHQ] to condemn those who eat everything, because they are also God’s servants! And just like it is the servants’ own master who accepts or condemns [MTY] his servants, it is God who accepts or condemns us. And believers will be accepted by the Lord { the Lord will accept believers} regardless of whether they eat meat or not, because he is able to keep them trusting in him.

Hebrews 7:25So, he can completely and eternally save those who come to God by trusting in what Jesus has done for them, since he lives forever to plead with God to help them.

Matthew Henry on James 4:12-17

Caution against Slander; Caution against Presumption. ( a. d. 61.) 11 Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. 12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another? 13 Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

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