James 1:5-8

New International Version

⁵If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God,^(A) who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.^(B) ⁶But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt,^(C) because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. ⁷That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. ⁸Such a person is double-minded^(D) and unstable^(E) in all they do.

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James 1:5-8

English Standard Version

⁵^(A)If any of you lacks wisdom, ^(B)let him ask God, ^(C)who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. ⁶But ^(D)let him ask in faith, ^(E)with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like ^(F)a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. ⁷For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; ⁸^(G)he is a double-minded man, ^(H)unstable in all his ways.

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James 1:5-8

New American Standard Bible

⁵But if any of you ^(A)lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and ^[a]without reproach, and ^(B)it will be given to him. ⁶But he must ^(C)ask in faith ^(D)without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, ^(E)driven and tossed by the wind. ⁷For that person ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, ⁸being a ^(F)^[b]double-minded man, ^(G)unstable in all his ways.

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Footnotes

James 1:5 Lit does not reproach
James 1:8 I.e., a chronic doubter

James 1:5-8

New King James Version

⁵^(A)If any of you lacks wisdom, ^(B)let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and ^(C)it will be given to him. ⁶^(D)But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. ⁷For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; ⁸he is ^(E)a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

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James 1:5-8

The Message

^5-8If you don’t know what you’re doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You’ll get his help, and won’t be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought. People who “worry their prayers” are like wind-whipped waves. Don’t think you’re going to get anything from the Master that way, adrift at sea, keeping all your options open.

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