What Does James 4:17 Mean in the King James?

Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

James 4:17 · KJV

The analysis reads the King James wording.

King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.

THE KEY

Here, sin is the good already seen and then left undone, the miss between perception and action.

THE MEANING

You know a good act, and it is already in view; when it remains undone, this verse names the gap as a miss. The verse addresses the space between recognizing what is good and bringing it into action.

WHAT THIS UNDOES

It undoes the belief that only doing harm counts as missing the mark: leaving a known good undone also falls within the verse’s meaning.

THE ROOT

ἁμαρτία

hamartia

GROWS FROM

ἁμαρτ

hamart-

to miss, err, or fail

The Greek word translated “sin” belongs to a word family about missing or going wrong. Here the miss is not only a harmful deed: the good is known, yet remains undone.

ALSO GROWS

hamartanō: to miss, err, or do wrong

ἁμαρτάνω

The verb makes the root’s sense active: the failure to do the known good is a miss.

hamartēma: an error or offense

ἁμάρτημα

This branch names the concrete act or result of missing.

hamartōlos: one who errs; a sinner

ἁμαρτωλός

The same root can describe a person by the pattern of missing, bringing the verse’s single omission into a wider word family.

εἰδότι

eidoti

GROWS FROM

εἰδ

eid-

to see or perceive; hence, to know

The form translated “knoweth” comes from ⁨οἶδα⁩, a verb historically connected with ⁨εἴδω⁩, “to see.” The good in this verse has come into view; the miss happens after it is perceived.

ALSO GROWS

eidō: to see

εἴδω

Its older sense shows the perceptual depth behind “knoweth”: the good is seen, not merely mentioned.

eidos: form or appearance

εἶδος

This related word carries the sense of what comes into sight, echoing the good that is already visible to the one who knows.

THE PATTERN

When good is known and within reach, leaving it undone carries consequences.

Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.

Proverbs 3:27 · KJVThe good is both due and within reach, so withholding it makes the omission consequential.

And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.

Luke 12:47 · KJVThe verse ties knowing what is required to the consequence of leaving it undone.

Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

Matthew 25:45 · KJVWhat is left undone toward another is treated as consequential, not as an empty absence.

THE THREAD

Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.

John 9:41 · KJV

John uses the same Greek word, ⁨ἁμαρτία⁩ (hamartia), for “sin,” and sets it beside the claim “We see.” James names the miss as the good left undone once it is known; John makes the tension between seeing and remaining in that miss visible.

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