This study of James 1:17 is because of the word shadow in the last part of the verse. 

James 1:17 (KJV) Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. (Please read 16-18 to get the most from the passage.) 

The word for a shadow in this verse is aposkiasma (Strong’s 644 G). It is used only once in the Bible, here in James. James actually used three words in this part of the verse that is used only once-parallage (variableness) and trope (turning) are the other two. It is fitting that these rare words (for the Bible) are being used to describe the Father of lights. Parallage is number 3883 and trope is number 5157 in the Greek side of the Strong’s. 

Skia is the word that is normally used for a shadow in the New Testament, it is number 4639 G. It is easy to see that Skia is the core of aposkiasma so I choose to study the parts of this word instead of just the Strong’s “usage definition”. Apo, the prefix, means away or apart, and skiasma indicates a split or separation. Yes, our word schism comes from this Greek word. A shadow can be thought of as a place that separates light and dark. If the solid object (the Father) turns the shape of the shadow changes. My God does not change. 

Give us your own translation. Use the definitions in the post and see how you would describe the “Pater ho phos” (the Father of lights). Rewrite James 1:17 😊  

Mounce Reverse Interlinear New Testament was used in studying for this post.