James 1:5 in Context
James 1:5 read in its full chapter context. See the verses before and after, plus historical setting and flow of thought.
"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him."
— James 1:5 (KJV)
Where This Verse Sits
James 1:5 appears in James chapter 1, verse 5. James, the half-brother of Jesus, wrote this letter around AD 45-49, making it possibly the earliest New Testament book. He addressed Jewish Christians scattered by persecution. In a culture that valued wisdom above wealth (Proverbs 4:7), James' promise of freely given wisdom was profoundly encouraging to believers navigating new and hostile environments.
The Verse Itself
"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him."
— James 1:5 (KJV)
Flow of the Passage
To grasp James 1:5 fully, read it inside the surrounding paragraph. The verses before set up the argument, and the verses after show its outworking. James 1 as a whole carries forward the theme of wisdom, and this single verse is one beat in that larger movement.
James promises that God generously gives wisdom to all who ask. He doesn't scold us for needing wisdom but freely gives it without finding fault.
Cross-References
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