James 1:19 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,

◄ James 1:19 ►

Parallel Verses

New International Version
My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,

English Standard Version
Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;

New American Standard Bible
This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger;

King James Bible
Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:

Holman Christian Standard Bible
My dearly loved brothers, understand this: Everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger,

International Standard Version
You must understand this, my dear brothers. Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.

American Standard Version
Ye know this , my beloved brethren. But let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:

Douay-Rheims Bible
You know, my dearest brethren. And let every man be swift to hear, but slow to speak, and slow to anger.

Darby Bible Translation
So that, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath;

Young's Literal Translation
So then, my brethren beloved, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger,

Cross References

Numbers 22:27
And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff.

Proverbs 10:19
In the multitude of words there wants not sin: but he that refrains his lips is wise.

Proverbs 14:29
He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalts folly.

Proverbs 16:32
He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that rules his spirit than he that takes a city.

Proverbs 17:27
He that has knowledge spares his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit.

Proverbs 29:20
See you a man that is hasty in his words? there is more hope of a fool than of him.

Ecclesiastes 7:9
Be not hasty in your spirit to be angry: for anger rests in the bosom of fools.

Acts 1:15
And in those days Peter stood up in the middle of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,)

James 1:2
My brothers, count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations;

James 1:16
Do not err, my beloved brothers.

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Commentaries

Matthew Henry's Commentary

1:19-21 Instead of blaming God under our trials, let us open our ears and hearts to learn what he teaches by them. And if men would govern their tongues, they must govern their passions. The worst thing we can bring to any dispute, is anger. Here is an exhortation to lay apart, and to cast off as a filthy garment, all sinful practices. This must reach to sins of thought and affection, as well as of speech and practice; to every thing corrupt and sinful. We must yield ourselves to the word of God, with humble and teachable minds. Being willing to hear of our faults, taking it not only patiently, but thankfully. It is the design of the word of God to make us wise to salvation; and those who propose any mean or low ends in attending upon it, dishonour the gospel, and disappoint their own souls.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

19. Wherefore—as your evil is of yourselves, but your good from God. However, the oldest manuscripts and versions read thus: "Ye know it (so Eph 5:5; Heb 12:17), my beloved brethren; BUT (consequently) let every man be swift to hear," that is, docile in receiving "the word of truth" (Jas 1:18, 21). The true method of hearing is treated in Jas 1:21-27, and Jas 2:1-26.

slow to speak—(Pr 10:19; 17:27, 28; Ec 5:2). A good way of escaping one kind of temptation arising from ourselves (Jas 1:13). Slow to speak authoritatively as a master or teacher of others (compare Jas 3:1): a common Jewish fault: slow also to speak such hasty things of God, as in Jas 1:13. Two ears are given to us, the rabbis observe, but only one tongue: the ears are open and exposed, whereas the tongue is walled in behind the teeth.

slow to wrath—(Jas 3:13, 14; 4:5). Slow in becoming heated by debate: another Jewish fault (Ro 2:8), to which much speaking tends. Tittmann thinks not so much "wrath" is meant, as an indignant feeling of fretfulness under the calamities to which the whole of human life is exposed; this accords with the "divers temptations" in Jas 1:2. Hastiness of temper hinders hearing God's word; so Naaman, 2Ki 5:11; Lu 4:28.