What does James 1:5 mean?
Right after telling readers to count trials as joy, James offers practical help for when we do not know what to do. "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God." Wisdom here means the practical skill of living well and making good decisions, especially in hard times. James describes God's character to encourage us: he "giveth to all men liberally," generously and without hesitation, and "upbraideth not," meaning he does not scold or shame us for asking. The promise is simple: "it shall be given him." The next verse adds that we should ask in faith, trusting that God really wants to help.
James 1:5 in the King James Version
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.
Context
4 Let endurance have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
6 But let him ask in faith, without any doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven by the wind and tossed.
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Frequently asked questions
What does James 1:5 mean?
Right after telling readers to count trials as joy, James offers practical help for when we do not know what to do. "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God." Wisdom here means the practical skill of living well and making good decisions, especially in hard times. James describes God's character to encourage us: he "giveth to all men liberally," generously and without hesitation, and "upbraideth not," meaning he does not scold or shame us for asking. The promise is simple: "it shall be given him." The next verse adds that we should ask in faith, trusting that God really wants to help.
What does James 1:5 say in the KJV?
James 1:5 (KJV) reads: “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.”