Bible Strands
James 4:15
Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord is willing, we will live and do this or that.”
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — James addresses believers who are making arrogant declarations about future plans, immediately after describing human life as a temporary mist and before condemning such proud boasting as evil.
The words — The conditional phrase ἐὰν (ean) θελήσῃ (thelēsē) literally renders “If [the] Lord shall wish,” establishing the grammatical framework for the proposed response.
The thread — This conditional acknowledgment of divine sovereignty parallels the conditional intention in Hebrews 6:3, the recognition that human plans are overridden by Proverbs 19:21, and the declaration in Lamentations 3:37 that events occur only unless the Lord has ordained them.
Why it lands — The text requires readers to replace autonomous future planning with a specific verbal formula that explicitly conditions all personal intentions on God’s will.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.
Cross-references
- Proverbs 19:21 Many plans are in a man’s heart, but the purpose of the LORD will prevail.
- Hebrews 6:3 And this we will do, if God permits.
- Lamentations 3:37 Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord has ordained it?
- Acts 18:21 But as he left, he said, “I will come back to you if God is willing.” And he set sail from Ephesus.
- Romans 1:10 in my prayers at all times, asking that now at last by God’s will I may succeed in coming to you.
- 1 Corinthians 16:7 For I do not want to see you now only in passing; I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits.
- Romans 15:32 so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and together with you be refreshed.
- 2 Samuel 15:25 Then the king said to Zadok, “Return the ark of God to the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the LORD, He will bring me back and let me see both it and His dwelling place again.
- 1 Corinthians 4:19 But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only what these arrogant people are saying, but what power they have.