Lexical Summary apeirastos: Untempted, untried, not subject to temptation Original Word: ἀπείραστος Strong's Exhaustive Concordance not to be tempted. From a (as a negative particle) and a presumed derivative of peirao; untried, i.e. Not temptable -- not to be tempted. see GREEK a see GREEK peirao HELPS Word-studies 551 apeírastos (from 1 /A "not" and 3985 /peirázō, "susceptible to enticement, allurement") – properly, unable to be tempted, lacking the very capacity to be enticed by evil or influenced by sin. 551/apeirastos ("untemptable"), only occurring in Js 1:13, refers to God's nature as incapable of being tempted, i.e. He can not be wooed (enticed) by sin. [551 (apeírastos) is also used in ancient secular Greek meaning "incapable of being tempted" (L-S). Theologians connect this to the "impassability of God."] NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom alpha (as a neg. prefix) and peirazó Definition untried, untempted NASB Translation cannot be tempted (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 551: ἀπείραστοςἀπείραστος, ἀπειραστον (πειράζω), as well untempted as untemptable: ἀπείραστος κακῶν that cannot be tempted by evil, not liable to temptation to sin, James 1:13; cf. the full remarks on this passage in Winers Grammar, § 30, 4 (cf. § 16, 3 a.; Buttmann, 170 (148)). (Josephus, b. j. 5, 9, 3; 7, 8, 1, and ecclesiastical writings. The Greeks said ἀπείρατος, from πειράω.) Topical Lexicon Biblical Context James addresses believing communities scattered among the nations who are undergoing trials. He warns against a subtle shift from external pressure to internal accusation: “When tempted, no one should say, ‘God is tempting me.’ For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone” (James 1:13). The single occurrence of ἀπείραστος places all emphasis on God’s intrinsic separation from evil and disallows any attribution of moral enticement to Him. God’s Inviolable Purity Scripture consistently presents God as morally impeccable and perfectly holy. James 1:13 parallels declarations such as Numbers 23:19 and 1 Samuel 15:29, which state that God does not lie or change His mind. Habakkuk 1:13 adds that His eyes are “too pure to look on evil.” The term in James reinforces these affirmations: evil holds no attraction for God, nor can it manipulate Him. Divine holiness is not merely freedom from wrongdoing; it is an immutable disposition that renders temptation impossible. Distinction between Testing and Tempting James earlier speaks of “trials of many kinds” that mature faith (James 1:2-4). In Scripture, God may prove or refine His people (Genesis 22:1; Deuteronomy 8:2), yet such testing aims at growth, never seduction to sin. Tempting, as condemned in James 1:13-15, entices the heart toward rebellion and death. Recognizing the difference safeguards believers from misjudging God’s actions during hardship. Intertextual Parallels 1 John 1:5 states, “God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all.” Isaiah’s triple declaration “Holy, holy, holy” (Isaiah 6:3) and Peter’s call, “Be holy, because I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16), underline the same truth expressed by ἀπείραστος. The Lord’s Prayer, “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one” (Matthew 6:13), acknowledges that deliverance, not enticement, comes from God. Hebrews 4:15, speaking of Christ “who has been tempted in every way, just as we are, yet was without sin,” further distinguishes the incarnate Son’s voluntary exposure to temptation from the Father’s absolute immunity to it. Christology and the Incarnation The Son’s earthly temptations (Matthew 4:1-11) reveal true humanity, yet His divine nature remains flawless. The Father cannot be tempted, while the Son, having taken flesh, experienced temptation without yielding. This preserves both the oneness of God’s moral character and the authenticity of Jesus’ identification with human weakness. Historical Reception in the Church Early creeds stress that God is “without passion” (apatheia), meaning that no created reality can coerce Him. Church fathers such as Athanasius and Augustine cited James 1:13 to refute any claim that God authors sin. Medieval theologians integrated the verse into doctrines of divine impeccability, and Reformers appealed to it to defend God’s righteousness amid discussions on providence and the problem of evil. Practical Application for Believers 1. Guard the heart: Recognizing that temptation springs from one’s own desires (James 1:14) shifts responsibility from God to the individual, encouraging repentance rather than blame. Pastoral and Ministry Considerations • Counseling sufferers: When affliction arrives, pastors can assure their flock that God’s purposes are refining, not corrupting. Missiological and Apologetic Implications Belief in a God untouched by evil answers objections that charge the Creator with moral culpability. James 1:13 stands as a concise apologetic for God’s goodness: He remains sovereign over evil without being implicated in it. Evangelistically, this assurance invites skeptics to trust a God who is both powerful and perfectly pure. Summary The lone New Testament use of ἀπείραστος encapsulates a profound truth: God’s holiness renders Him impervious to evil’s allure, and He never lures humanity toward sin. This affirmation safeguards doctrinal purity, fortifies believers under trial, and undergirds the Church’s proclamation of a righteous, trustworthy God. Forms and Transliterations απειραστος απείραστός ἀπείραστός apeirastos apeírastósLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
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