them and of himself, Of His own will He brought us forth, i.e., He “gave birth” to us. We must not miss the connection of this statement with the context. James’s word for brought us forth (apokyō) is the same word used in v 15 for “brings forth.” Sin, James is saying, “gives birth” to death, but God “gives birth” to us! Of course James has in mind here the truth of new birth and, like every NT writer, he knows it to be a gift! (Davids, Commentary, p. 89, regards “the reference to the gospel and