for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.
Parallel translations
- WEB for he sees himself, and goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.
- KJV For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
- BSB and after observing himself goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.
- NASB for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was.
- NLT You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Such a man looks, walks away, and immediately forgets what he saw. The hearer-only quickly loses sight of what God's word revealed.
Overview
Continuing the mirror image, James describes how the careless hearer promptly forgets what God's word showed him about himself. The fault is not in the mirror but in the forgetful, unresponsive heart. Genuine reception of Scripture leaves a lasting, transforming impression rather than a fleeting impression.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- 2 Pet 3:11Therefore since all these things will be destroyed like this, what kind of people ought you to be in holy living and godliness,
- Luke 7:39Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, “This man, if he were a prophet, would have perceived who and what kind of woman this is who touches him, that she is a sinner.”
- Luke 1:66All who heard them laid them up in their heart, saying, “What then will this child be?” The hand of the Lord was with him.
- Judg 8:18Then he said to Zebah and Zalmunna, “What kind of men were they whom you killed at Tabor?” They answered, “They were like you. Each one resembled the children of a king.”
- 1 Th 1:5and that our Good News came to you not in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit, and with much assurance. You know what kind of men we showed ourselves to be among you for your sake.
- Matt 8:27The men marveled, saying, “What kind of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The wisdom from above and the royal law of love are the life of those who belong to 'our glorious Lord Jesus Christ' — faith in him made visible in works.
How James 1:24 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.