James 1:13
“Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →No one may blame God for temptation, for God neither is tempted by evil nor tempts anyone.
What Does James 1:13 Mean?
James guards against a dangerous excuse. When enticement to sin arises, no one should say, I am being tempted by God. The same word that meant outward trial now turns toward inward enticement, and James is careful to keep its source clear.
God cannot be tempted by evil, for nothing in Him is drawn toward it, and He Himself tempts no one toward sin. To blame God for the pull of our own desire is to slander His holiness. The Father gives only good gifts. Temptation to evil never comes down from above; its origin lies elsewhere, as the next verses make plain. The reader is left without anyone to blame but the desire within.