James 4:17 - An Understandable Version (2005 edition)

¹⁷ So, the person who knows the good [he ought] to be doing, but is not doing it, is sinning.

More versions

King James Version (Oxford) 1769

¹⁷ Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

Amplified Bible - Classic Edition

¹⁷ So any person who knows what is right to do but does not do it, to him it is sin.

American Standard Version (1901)

¹⁷ To him therefore that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

Common English Bible

¹⁷ It is a sin when someone knows the right thing to do and doesn’t do it.

Catholic Public Domain Version

¹⁷ Therefore, he who knows that he ought to do a good thing, and does not do it, for him it is a sin.

James 4:17 Cross References

John 9:41

Jesus said to them, “If you were [really] blind [i.e., unable to see spiritually], you would not be guilty of sin. But since you claim, ‘We can see [fine],’ you remain guilty of sin.”

John 13:17

If you know these things, you will be happy if you practice them.

John 15:22

The person who hates me hates my Father also.

2 Peter 2:21

It would have been better for them if they had not known the right way [to God] than, after knowing it, to turn back from the sacred message that had been presented to them.

Romans 1:32

These people know that God’s decrees require that those who practice such things deserve to die [i.e., either spiritual or temporal punishment], yet they not only do the same things [themselves], but even approve of other people who practice them.

Romans 7:13

Was this [commandment] then, which was intended for my good, [actually] responsible for my [spiritual] death? Certainly not! But so that sin could be seen as [truly] sinful, it produced [spiritual] death in me through something that was good [i.e., the commandment against sinning]. This was so that, by means of the commandment [against sinning], sin could be seen as extremely sinful.