James 1:18
New International Version
He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

New Living Translation
He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession.

English Standard Version
Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

Berean Standard Bible
He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we would be a kind of firstfruits of His creation.

Berean Literal Bible
Having willed it, He brought us forth by the word of truth, for us to be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.

King James Bible
Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

New King James Version
Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.

New American Standard Bible
In the exercise of His will He gave us birth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures.

NASB 1995
In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures.

NASB 1977
In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we might be, as it were, the first fruits among His creatures.

Legacy Standard Bible
In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures.

Amplified Bible
It was of His own will that He gave us birth [as His children] by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits of His creatures [a prime example of what He created to be set apart to Himself—sanctified, made holy for His divine purposes].

Christian Standard Bible
By his own choice, he gave us birth by the word of truth so that we would be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
By His own choice, He gave us a new birth by the message of truth so that we would be the firstfruits of His creatures.

American Standard Version
Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
He was pleased and gave birth to us by the word of the truth, that we would be the first fruits of his creation.

Contemporary English Version
He wanted us to be his own special people, and so he sent the true message to give us new birth.

Douay-Rheims Bible
For of his own will hath he begotten us by the word of truth, that we might be some beginning of his creatures.

English Revised Version
Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
God decided to give us life through the word of truth to make us his most important creatures.

Good News Translation
By his own will he brought us into being through the word of truth, so that we should have first place among all his creatures.

International Standard Version
In accordance with his will he made us his children by the word of truth, so that we might become the most important of his creatures.

Literal Standard Version
having willed [it], He begot us with a word of truth, for our being a certain first-fruit of His creatures.

Majority Standard Bible
He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we would be a kind of firstfruits of His creation.

New American Bible
He willed to give us birth by the word of truth that we may be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

NET Bible
By his sovereign plan he gave us birth through the message of truth, that we would be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

New Revised Standard Version
In fulfillment of his own purpose he gave us birth by the word of truth, so that we would become a kind of first fruits of his creatures.

New Heart English Bible
Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.

Webster's Bible Translation
Of his own will he hath begotten us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first-fruits of his creatures.

Weymouth New Testament
In accordance with His will He made us His children through the Message of the truth, so that we might, in a sense, be the Firstfruits of the things which He has created.

World English Bible
Of his own will he gave birth to us by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.

Young's Literal Translation
having counselled, He did beget us with a word of truth, for our being a certain first-fruit of His creatures.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Good and Perfect Gifts
17Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, with whom there is no change or shifting shadow. 18He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we would be a kind of firstfruits of His creation. 19My beloved brothers, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger,…

Cross References
Jeremiah 2:3
Israel was holy to the LORD, the firstfruits of His harvest. All who devoured her found themselves guilty; disaster came upon them,'" declares the LORD.

John 1:13
children born not of blood, nor of the desire or will of man, but born of God.

2 Corinthians 6:7
in truthful speech and in the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left;

Ephesians 1:13
And in Him, having heard and believed the word of truth--the gospel of your salvation--you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,

2 Timothy 2:15
Make every effort to present yourself approved to God, an unashamed workman who accurately handles the word of truth.

James 1:15
Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

James 3:14
But if you harbor bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast in it or deny the truth.


Treasury of Scripture

Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.

his own.

John 1:13
Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

John 3:3-5
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God…

Romans 4:17
(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.

with.

James 1:21
Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

1 Corinthians 4:15
For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.

Ephesians 1:12
That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

kind.

Leviticus 23:10
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest:

Jeremiah 2:3
Israel was holiness unto the LORD, and the firstfruits of his increase: all that devour him shall offend; evil shall come upon them, saith the LORD.

Amos 6:1
Woe to them that are at ease in Zion, and trust in the mountain of Samaria, which are named chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel came!

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Accordance Begat Begotten Birth Children Chose Created Creatures Exercise First Firstfruits First-Fruits Forth Fruits Kind Message Purpose Sense True. Truth Word
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Accordance Begat Begotten Birth Children Chose Created Creatures Exercise First Firstfruits First-Fruits Forth Fruits Kind Message Purpose Sense True. Truth Word
James 1
1. James greets the twelve tribes among the nations;
2. exhorts to rejoice in trials and temptations;
5. to ask patience of God;
13. and in our trials not to impute our weakness, or sins, to him,
19. but rather to hearken to the word, to meditate on it, and to do thereafter.
26. Otherwise men may seem, but never be, truly religious.














(18) Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth.--There is a greater witness to God's goodness than that which is written upon the dome of heaven, even the regeneration of man. As the old creation was "by the Word" (John 1:3; John 1:10, et seq.), the new is by Him also, the Logos, the Word of Truth, and that by means of His everlasting gospel, delivered in the power of the Holy Ghost. So tenderly is this declared, that a maternal phrase is used--God brought us forth in the new birth; and though "a woman" may forget "the son of her womb" (Isaiah 49:15), yet will He "never leave, nor forsake" (Hebrews 13:5).

That we should be a kind of firstfruit of his creatures.--And why this mercy and loving-kindness? for our own sakes, or for others and for His? Surely the latter; and "if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy" (Romans 11:16). We know "Who is the firstborn of every creature" (Colossians 1:15) "the firstbegotten of the dead" (Revelation 1:5), nay, "the beginning of the creation of God" (Revelation 3:14); "and we are created in Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:10), become new in Him (comp. 2Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15), made the firstfruits of His redemption; and, moreover, it would seem we are the sign of the deliverance promised to the brute creation "which waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God" (Romans 8:19; Romans 8:21). The longing for a future perfection is shared by all created beings upon earth, and their discontent at present imperfection points to another state freed from evil (Romans 8:18-22). "The creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of Him who hath subjected the same in hope" (Romans 8:20). And the fruition of this hope is foreshadowed in the words above. "The very struggles," it has been well observed by Dean Howson, "which all animated beings make against pain and death show that pain and death are not a part of the proper laws of their nature, but rather a bondage imposed upon them from without; thus every groan and fear is an unconscious prophecy of liberation from the power of evil." "The creature itself also shall be delivered" is the plain assertion of St. Paul (Romans 8:21); comparing his with that of St. James, we must conclude that they point to all nature, animate and inanimate as well. "We look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness" (2Peter 3:13), and "there shall be no more death . . . nor any more pain" (Revelation 21:4). . . .

Verse 18. - Begat; literally, brought forth; ἀπεκύησεν. The word has been already used of sin in ver. 15. The recurrence of it here points to the connection of thought. The offspring of sin has been shown to be death. God, too, who is both Father and Mother (Bengel), has his offspring. But how different! Us (ημῦς). To whom does this refer?

(1) To all Christians.

(2) To Christians of the apostolic age.

(3) To Jewish Christians, to whom the Epistle is specially addressed. . . .

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
He chose
βουληθεὶς (boulētheis)
Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 1014: To will, intend, desire, wish. Middle voice of a primary verb; to 'will, ' i.e. be willing.

to give us birth
ἀπεκύησεν (apekyēsen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 616: From apo and the base of kuma; to breed forth, i.e. to generate.

through [the] word
λόγῳ (logō)
Noun - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3056: From lego; something said; by implication, a topic, also reasoning or motive; by extension, a computation; specially, the Divine Expression.

of truth,
ἀληθείας (alētheias)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 225: From alethes; truth.

that
εἰς (eis)
Preposition
Strong's 1519: A primary preposition; to or into, of place, time, or purpose; also in adverbial phrases.

we
ἡμᾶς (hēmas)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person Plural
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

would be
εἶναι (einai)
Verb - Present Infinitive Active
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

a kind of
τινα (tina)
Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 5100: Any one, some one, a certain one or thing. An enclitic indefinite pronoun; some or any person or object.

firstfruits
ἀπαρχήν (aparchēn)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 536: From a compound of apo and archomai; a beginning of sacrifice, i.e. The first-fruit.

of His
αὐτοῦ (autou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

creation.
κτισμάτων (ktismatōn)
Noun - Genitive Neuter Plural
Strong's 2938: A created thing, a creature. From ktizo; an original formation, i.e. Product.


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NT Letters: James 1:18 Of his own will he brought us (Ja Jas. Jam)
James 1:17
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