for he sees himself, and goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.
Parallel Translations
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for he sees himself, and goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.
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For assone as he hath loked on him silfe he goeth his waye and forgetteth immediatlie what his fassion was.
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For when he hath considered himselfe, hee goeth his way, and forgetteth immediately what maner of one he was.
Cross-references (6)
Passages linked to James 1:24 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- 2 Peter 3:11 Therefore since all these things will be destroyed like this, what kind of people ought you to be in holy living and godliness,
- Luke 1:66 All who heard them laid them up in their heart, saying, “What then will this child be?” The hand of the Lord was with him.
- Luke 7:39 Now 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.”
- Judges 8:18 Then he said to Zebah and Zalmunna, “What kind of men were they whom you killed at Tabor?” They answered, “They were like you. They all resembled the children of a king.”
- Matthew 8:27 The men marveled, saying, “What kind of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
- 1 Thessalonians 1:5 and 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.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (10 sources)
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John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way,…
24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
Ver. 24. Straightway forgetteth] Naturalists make mention of a certain creature called cervarius, that though he be feeding never so hard and hungerly, if he cast but back his head, he forgets immediately the meat he was eating, and runs to look after new: the lynx is very sharp sighted, but also very forgetful; out of sight, out of mind straight.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain The remembrance of what his face is vanisheth as…
The remembrance of what his face is vanisheth as soon as his eye is off the glass; he remembers not the spots he saw in his face, to wipe them off. So he that sees the blemishes of his soul in the glass of the word, and doth not remember them to do them away, looks in that glass (i.e. hears the word) in vain.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way,.... He…
For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way,.... He takes a slight glance of himself, and departs:
and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was; he forgets either his spots, blemishes, and imperfections; or his comeliness and beauty; the features of his face, be they comely or not: so a bare hearer of the word, who is not concerned to practise what he hears, while he is hearing, he observes some things amiss in himself, and some excellencies in Christ; but, when the discourse is over, he goes his way, and thinks no more of either.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain He beheld himself, and went away - To other…
He beheld himself, and went away - To other business. And forgot - But such forgetting does not excuse.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain beholdeth--more literally, "he contemplated himself and hath gone his…
beholdeth--more literally, "he contemplated himself and hath gone his way," that is, no sooner has he contemplated his image than he is gone his way (Jam 1:11). "Contemplate" answers to hearing the word: "goeth his way," to relaxing the attention after hearing--letting the mind go elsewhere, and the interest of the thing heard pass away: then forgetfulness follows [ALFORD] (Compare Eze 33:31). "Contemplate" here, and in Jam 1:23, implies that, though cursory, yet some knowledge of one's self, at least for the time, is imparted in hearing the word (Co1 14:24).
and . . . and--The repetition expresses hastiness joined with levity [BENGEL].
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forgetteth what manner of man he was--in the mirror. Forgetfulness is no excuse (Jam 1:25; Pe2 1:9).
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 24. Forgetteth—A curious and inexplicable fact, that, however clearly…
24. Forgetteth—A curious and inexplicable fact, that, however clearly we behold ourself in the glass, we retain no distinct impression of our own face. If walking down the street he could meet himself, he would not, by the countenance, recognise himself. So the man who beholds his own spiritual character and moral destiny in the word, as in a glass, may pass away and retain no true impression. A most beautiful illustration of our moral nature from a physiological fact familiar to all, yet seldom noted.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 24. For he beholdeth himself …] The Greek gives…
24. For he beholdeth himself …] The Greek gives a subtle variation in the tenses. “For he beheld himself” (the momentary act), and hath gone away (the completed departure continuing in the present), and forgat (the oblivion coming and being completed in a moment). The mode of stating a similitude in the form of a narrative related as belonging to the past is characteristic of St James’s style. See note on Jas_1:11.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (24) For he beholdeth himself . . .—Better, for…
(24) For he beholdeth himself . . .—Better, for he beheld himself and went his way, and straightway forgot what he was. Like the simile in Jas_1:11, this is described as an actual occurrence, seen and noted by the writer. There is a recognition of the well-known face, followed by instant and complete forgetfulness; and thus is it often with the mirror of the soul. In some striking sermon or book a man’s self is made manifest to him, and the picture may be too familiar to cause aversion; but, whether or no, the impression fades from his mind as quickly as the echoes of the preacher’s words. At the best the knowledge was only superficial, perhaps momentary; widely different from that which comes of a holy walk with God.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain Observe the tenses; literally, He considered (katenohse) himself, and…
Observe the tenses; literally, He considered (katenohse) himself, and has gone away (ajpelhluqe), and straightway forgot (ejpelaqeto) what he was like (compare note on ver. 11).
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 1:24 forget what you look like: The problem is…
1:24 forget what you look like: The problem is not the poor quality of an ancient mirror but the inattention of the viewer (cp. Matt 7:24-27).
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.