Scripture meaning...

[Nick01]

James 1:17

17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, neither shadow that is cast by turning.

here's another version :

17 But whatever is good and perfect comes to us from God, the Creator of all light, and he shines forever without change or shadow.

What does it mean by "neither shadow that is cast by turning" .. "turning" being the key word?

Finally, what are your thought on this verse period?

 

[Friedrich Rubinstein]

Luckily I can read the Bible in a different language, it helps a lot with understanding

If I had to translate my own language into English this verse would sound like this:
"Every good gift and every perfect gift comes from above, from the father of light who does not change and where there is no change of light and darkness".

Looking at the context it means the following: Temptation does not come from God but from our fleshly nature. From God we only receive the good things, not the bad things.
Light means good and darkness means evil here. God is good (father of light) and does not change (God has always been good, is good and will always be good); and God's morality is always the same. "No change of light and darkness" means that God always considers the same things as good and the same things as evil.

This verse basically says that God is pure good and His opinion on what is good and what is evil never ever changes.

 

[Of the Kingdom]

James 1:17 Commentaries: Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. will provide you with many explanations. It appears to be an analogy with shadows formed by the sun. The sun's light varies, but the illumination given by God is constant.

The Barnes commentary, James 1 Barnes' Notes , explains the analogy well:

With whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning - The design here is clearly to contrast God with the sun in a certain respect. As the source of light, there is a strong resemblance. But in the sun there are certain changes. It does not shine on all parts of the earth at the same time, nor in the same manner all the year.

...

In this respect God is not indeed like the sun. With him there is no variableness, not even the appearance of turning. He is always the same, at all seasons of the year, and in all ages; there is no change in his character, his mode of being, his purposes and plans.

 

[Aussie Pete]

James 1:17

17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, neither shadow that is cast by turning.

here's another version :

17 But whatever is good and perfect comes to us from God, the Creator of all light, and he shines forever without change or shadow.

What does it mean by "neither shadow that is cast by turning" .. "turning" being the key word?

Finally, what are your thought on this verse period?

Shadows come about when light shines on an object. Since God is the true Light, whichever way you look at Him, you only see light. And God can never be darkness because He does not change. Ever.

 

[Nick01]

Cool, I like your insight. Btw, do you know where I can find some Christian friends?

 

[Daisy Rivas]

James 1:17

17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, neither shadow that is cast by turning.

here's another version :

17 But whatever is good and perfect comes to us from God, the Creator of all light, and he shines forever without change or shadow.

What does it mean by "neither shadow that is cast by turning" .. "turning" being the key word?

Finally, what are your thought on this verse period?

It is definitely true that the greatest gift we can ever receive is the understanding of God's word. I always like to go back to John 1:1-4 that God is the word and in that we can find life which is something that no job, car, money can give you as those are all temporary things that will eventually pass away. That's why we must come to know this great gift that has been given to us today which is found in the bible