Good and Perfect Gifts

No one who is tempted may say that God is tempting him, because God is untouched by evil and does not tempt anyone. Temptation arises from one's own desires, which lure and entice, then conceive sin, and finally bring forth death. The paragraph traces the inward progression of evil while clearing God of every accusation.

W¹³hen tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone. ¹⁴But each one is tempted when by his own evil desires he is lured away and enticed. ¹⁵Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

James warns his beloved brothers not to be deceived and contrasts the deadly birth of sin with the goodness of God. Every good and perfect gift comes down from above from the Father of lights, whose character is constant and unshadowed by change. By His will He brought His people forth through the word of truth so that they might be the firstfruits of His creation. The paragraph grounds confidence in divine goodness and regenerative grace.

¹⁶Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. ¹⁷Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, with whom there is no change or shifting shadow. ¹⁸He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we would be a kind of firstfruits of His creation.