James 1:1
“James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →James introduces himself simply as a servant and addresses scattered believers among the tribes of Israel.
What Does James 1:1 Mean?
The letter opens without a claim to rank or privilege. James calls himself a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, joining the two names as one allegiance. He writes to the twelve tribes scattered abroad, believers far from home and pressed by hardship.
To be a servant is the whole of his identity, and it is offered as a model. Before any instruction comes, the writer locates himself beneath the One he serves. The scattered reader, feeling small and far away, is reminded that the Lord knows where each of His own has been carried, and that the household of faith reaches them still.
In the Original Language
doulos (δοῦλος), 'servant' -- a bondservant wholly owned by and devoted to a master.