Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

JAMES 4:10KJV
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James 4:10 (KJV)

What does James 4:10 mean?

James tells his readers to take a lowly place before God, turning from the pride and divided loyalty described in the surrounding passage. The promise “he shall lift you up” makes God the one who grants them an honored place.

The key is the wording behind “Humble yourselves”: ταπεινώθητε (tapeinōthēte). The Greek form is passive—“be humbled”—but functions here as a command to accept a lowly position before God. James is addressing believers whose quarrels and competing desires have exposed their pride; the command concludes his calls to submit to God, cleanse their conduct, and mourn their wrongdoing.

The Greek behind James 4:10

  • “sight” — ἐνώπιον (enōpion): This means “before” or “in the presence of.” “In the sight of the Lord” places their humbling before God himself. The concern is their standing before God, rather than merely appearing humble to other people.

  • “Lord” — κυρίου (kyriou): This means “Lord” or “master,” identifying the one who holds authority. In this passage, James has just commanded his readers to submit to God. Their humility recognizes that authority.

  • “lift … up” — ὑψώσει (hypsōsei): This means “will raise” or “will exalt.” The KJV’s “lift” and “up” translate one Greek verb. Here the low-and-high language describes a reversal of standing: those who take the lowly place before the Lord will be raised by him. The future form presents that action as a promise.

Why James 4:10 matters

  • The verse completes James’s contrast between pride and humility. James 4:6 says that God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble; verse 10 expresses the corresponding command and promise.

  • Humbling and raising have different agents. “Humble yourselves” addresses what James’s readers must do; “he shall lift you up” assigns their exaltation to the Lord.

  • The command addresses the whole community. Both “yourselves” and “you” are plural. James speaks to the believers involved in the conflicts described at the beginning of the chapter.

Where else these words appear

“yourselves” Greek G5013 · used in 11 verses

  • Matthew 18:4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
  • Luke 14:11 For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
  • 2 Corinthians 12:21 And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.

“lift” Greek G5312 · used in 16 verses

  • Matthew 11:23 And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.
  • Luke 18:14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
  • Acts 2:33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.

“sight” Greek G1799 · used in 89 verses

  • Luke 1:6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
  • Acts 10:4 And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.
  • Revelation 2:14 But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.