But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.
My Notes
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
Gill's Exposition
But above all things, my brethren, swear not,.... As impatience should not show itself in secret sighs, groans, murmurings, and repinings, so more especially it should not break forth in rash oaths,…
Barnes' Notes
But above all things - That is be especially careful on this point; whatever else is done, let not this be. The manner in which James speaks of the practice referred to here, shows that he regarded it…
Adam Clarke
Above all things - swear not - What relation this exhortation can have to the subject in question, I confess I cannot see. It may not have been designed to stand in any connection, but to be a…
This epistle now drawing to a close, the penman goes off very quickly from one thing to another: hence it is that matters so very different are insisted on in these few verses.
I. The sin of swearing…
Cambridge Bible
Oaths
12. above all things, my brethren, swear not The passage presents so close a parallel with Mat 5:33-37 that it is almost a necessary inference that St James, if not himself a hearer of the…