James 4:10
New International Version
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

New Living Translation
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.

English Standard Version
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

Berean Standard Bible
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.

Berean Literal Bible
Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.

King James Bible
Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

New King James Version
Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

New American Standard Bible
Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.

NASB 1995
Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.

NASB 1977
Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.

Legacy Standard Bible
Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.

Amplified Bible
Humble yourselves [with an attitude of repentance and insignificance] in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you [He will lift you up, He will give you purpose].

Christian Standard Bible
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.

American Standard Version
Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall exalt you.

Contemporary English Version
Be humble in the Lord's presence, and he will honor you.

English Revised Version
Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall exalt you.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Humble yourselves in the Lord's presence. Then he will give you a high position.

Good News Translation
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

International Standard Version
Humble yourselves in the Lord's presence, and he will exalt you.

Majority Standard Bible
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.

NET Bible
Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will exalt you.

New Heart English Bible
Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he will exalt you.

Webster's Bible Translation
Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he will lift you up.

Weymouth New Testament
Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.

World English Bible
Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he will exalt you.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
be made low before the LORD, and He will exalt you.

Berean Literal Bible
Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.

Young's Literal Translation
be made low before the Lord, and He shall exalt you.

Smith's Literal Translation
Be ye humbled before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Be humbled in the sight of the Lord, and he will exalt you.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Be humbled in the sight of the Lord, and he will exalt you.

New American Bible
Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will exalt you.

New Revised Standard Version
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Humble yourselves before the LORD and he shall lift you up.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Be humble before THE LORD JEHOVAH, and he will exalt you.
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he will exalt you.

Godbey New Testament
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will raise you up.

Haweis New Testament
Be humbled in the presence of God, so he will exalt you.

Mace New Testament
humble your selves before the Lord, and he will raise you up.

Weymouth New Testament
Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.

Worrell New Testament
Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will exalt you.

Worsley New Testament
Be humbled before the Lord, and He will exalt you.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Drawing Near to God
9Grieve, mourn, and weep. Turn your laughter to mourning, and your joy to gloom. 10Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you. 11Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. And if you judge the law, you are not a practitioner of the law, but a judge of it.…

Cross References
1 Peter 5:6
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, so that in due time He may exalt you.

Matthew 23:12
For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Luke 14:11
For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Luke 18:14
I tell you, this man, rather than the Pharisee, went home justified. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Proverbs 3:34
He mocks the mockers, but gives grace to the humble.

Proverbs 29:23
A man’s pride will bring him low, but a humble spirit will obtain honor.

Isaiah 57:15
For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in a high and holy place, and with the oppressed and humble in spirit, to restore the spirit of the lowly and revive the heart of the contrite.

Isaiah 66:2
Has not My hand made all these things? And so they came into being,” declares the LORD. “This is the one I will esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, who trembles at My word.

Philippians 2:8-9
And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross. / Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name above all names,

1 Samuel 2:7-8
The LORD sends poverty and wealth; He humbles and He exalts. / He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap. He seats them among princes and bestows on them a throne of honor. For the foundations of the earth are the LORD’s, and upon them He has set the world.

Job 5:11
He sets the lowly on high, so that mourners are lifted to safety.

Psalm 18:27
For You save an afflicted people, but You humble those with haughty eyes.

Psalm 147:6
The LORD sustains the humble, but casts the wicked to the ground.

Psalm 149:4
For the LORD takes pleasure in His people; He adorns the afflicted with salvation.

Matthew 5:3
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.


Treasury of Scripture

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

Humble.

James 4:6,7
But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble…

he.

1 Samuel 2:9
He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.

Job 22:29
When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There is lifting up; and he shall save the humble person.

Psalm 27:6
And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD.

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James 4
1. We are to strive against covetousness;
4. intemperance;
5. pride;
11. detraction and rash judgment of others;
13. and not to be boastful of our future plans.














Humble yourselves
The phrase "Humble yourselves" is a call to action, urging believers to adopt a posture of humility. The Greek word used here is "ταπεινόω" (tapeinoō), which means to make low or bring low. In the context of the early Christian community, humility was a counter-cultural value. The Greco-Roman world often celebrated pride and self-promotion, but the Christian message turned this on its head, emphasizing the importance of recognizing one's own limitations and dependence on God. Humility is not about self-deprecation but about acknowledging God's sovereignty and our need for His grace.

before the Lord
The phrase "before the Lord" signifies the audience and the context of our humility. The Greek word for "before" is "ἐνώπιον" (enōpion), which means in the presence of or in the sight of. This indicates that our humility is not just an outward show for others but is to be genuine and directed towards God. In the historical context of the early church, this was a reminder that God is the ultimate judge and authority. The phrase also echoes the Old Testament understanding of living "before the Lord," as seen in the lives of the patriarchs and prophets who walked with God in reverence and obedience.

and He will exalt you
The promise "and He will exalt you" provides the assurance that God honors those who humble themselves. The Greek word for "exalt" is "ὑψόω" (hypsoō), which means to lift up or raise high. This is a divine action, indicating that exaltation is not something we achieve by our own efforts but is a gift from God. In the scriptural context, this exaltation can be understood both in a spiritual sense—being lifted up in God's favor and grace—and in an eschatological sense, pointing to the ultimate exaltation in the kingdom of heaven. Historically, this promise would have been a source of hope for early Christians facing persecution and marginalization, reminding them that their humility and faithfulness would be rewarded by God in His perfect timing.

(10) Humble yourselves . . .--Read, Humble yourselves therefore before the Lord, and He shall lift you up. "For thus saith the high and lofty One" (Isaiah 57:15), "I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite." (Comp. 1Peter 5:6.) "God," says Thomas a Kempis, "protects the humble and delivers him; He loves and consoles him; He inclines Himself towards the humble man, He bestows on him exceeding grace, and after his humiliation He lifts him up to glory; He reveals his secrets to the humble, and sweetly draws and leads him to Himself."

Verse 10. - Humble yourselves, etc. A further parallel with our Lord's teaching, St. James's words being perhaps suggested by the saying recorded in Matthew 23:12, "Whosoever shall humble himself shall be exalted" (ὑψωθήσεται, as here, "He shall lift you up," ὑψώσει). In the sight of the Lord (ἐνώπιον). The article (τοῦ) in the Received Text is certainly wrong. It is wanting in a, A, B, K. The anarthrous Κύριος is used by St. James here and in James 5:4, 10 (with which contrast ver. 14), and 1 l, as equivalent to the "Jehovah" of the Old Testament, which is represented in the LXX. by Κύριος without the article.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
Humble yourselves
ταπεινώθητε (tapeinōthēte)
Verb - Aorist Imperative Passive - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 5013: To make or bring low, humble, humiliate; pass: To be humbled. From tapeinos; to depress; figuratively, to humiliate.

before
ἐνώπιον (enōpion)
Preposition
Strong's 1799: Neuter of a compound of en and a derivative of optanomai; in the face of.

[the] Lord,
Κυρίου (Kyriou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 2962: Lord, master, sir; the Lord. From kuros; supreme in authority, i.e. controller; by implication, Master.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

He will exalt
ὑψώσει (hypsōsei)
Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 5312: (a) I raise on high, lift up, (b) I exalt, set on high. From hupsos; to elevate.

you.
ὑμᾶς (hymas)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.


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NT Letters: James 4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight (Ja Jas. Jam)
James 4:9
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