Ye adulterers and adulteresses,.... Not who were literally such, but in a figurative and metaphorical sense: as he is an adulterer that removes his affections from his own wife, and sets them upon another woman; and she is an adulteress that loves not her husband, but places her love upon another man; so such men and women are adulterers and adulteresses, who, instead of loving God, whom they ought to love with all their hearts and souls, set their affections upon the world, and the things of it: the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Ethiopic versions, leave out the word "adulteresses": these the apostle addresses in the following manner;know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God?
Bible Commentary
James 4:4
James 4:4
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible · John Gill (1697–1771) · Public Domain
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James 4 — OverviewJames 4 · Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole BibleIn this chapter we are directed to consider, I. Some causes of
contention, besides those mentioned in the foregoing chapter, and to
watch against them, ver. 1-5. II. We are taught to abandon the
friendship of…James 4 — OverviewJames 4 · Treasury of Scripture KnowledgeJames 4:1, We are to strive against covetousness; James 4:4, intemperance; James 4:5, pride; James 4:11, detraction and rash judgment of others; James 4:13, and not to be confident in the good success of worldly…James 4 — OverviewJames 4 · John Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleIn this chapter the apostle gives the true cause of contentions and strifes; and cautions against intemperance, covetousness, pride, detraction, and vain confidence. Having, in the latter part of the preceding chapter,…James 4:1-10James 4:1-10 · Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole BibleThe former chapter speaks of envying one another, as the great spring
of strifes and contentions; this chapter speaks of a lust after worldly
things, and a setting too great a value upon worldly pleasures and…James 4:4James 4:4 · Treasury of Scripture Knowledgeadulterers: Psalms 50:18, Psalms 73:27; Isaiah 57:3; Jeremiah 9:2; Hosea 3:1; Matthew 12:39, Matthew 16:4
the friendship: John 7:7, John 15:19, John 15:23, John 17:14; 1 John 2:15-16
enmity: Genesis 3:15; Romans 8:7…
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