KJV ORIGINAL
For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
The same God who said 'don't cheat on your partner' also said 'don't murder.' So if you're faithful in your relationship but you kill someone, you've still broken God's law.
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
You can't pick and choose which of God's commands to follow — breaking one means you've broken them all.
📜 Historical Context — Why was this verse written?
James, likely the brother of Jesus, wrote this letter to Jewish Christians dispersed throughout the Roman Empire during the mid-1st century CE. It aimed to encourage practical Christian living, address social injustices, and clarify the essential connection between faith and good works.
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