Yakobus 1:1--5:20
Konteks1:1 From James, 1 a slave 2 of God and the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes dispersed abroad. 3 Greetings!
1:2 My brothers and sisters, 4 consider it nothing but joy 5 when you fall into all sorts of trials, 1:3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 1:4 And let endurance have its perfect effect, so that you will be perfect and complete, not deficient in anything. 1:5 But if anyone is deficient in wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without reprimand, and it will be given to him. 1:6 But he must ask in faith without doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed around by the wind. 1:7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord, 1:8 since he is a double-minded individual, 6 unstable in all his ways.
1:9 Now the believer 7 of humble means 8 should take pride 9 in his high position. 10 1:10 But the rich person’s pride should be in his humiliation, because he will pass away like a wildflower in the meadow. 11 1:11 For the sun rises with its heat and dries up the meadow; the petal of the flower falls off and its beauty is lost forever. 12 So also the rich person in the midst of his pursuits will wither away. 1:12 Happy is the one 13 who endures testing, because when he has proven to be genuine, he will receive the crown of life that God 14 promised to those who love him. 1:13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted by evil, 15 and he himself tempts no one. 1:14 But each one is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desires. 1:15 Then when desire conceives, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is full grown, it gives birth to death. 1:16 Do not be led astray, my dear brothers and sisters. 16 1:17 All generous giving and every perfect gift 17 is from above, coming down 18 from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or the slightest hint of change. 19 1:18 By his sovereign plan he gave us birth 20 through the message of truth, that we would be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.
1:19 Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters! 21 Let every person be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger. 1:20 For human 22 anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness. 23 1:21 So put away all filth and evil excess and humbly 24 welcome the message implanted within you, which is able to save your souls. 1:22 But be sure you live out the message and do not merely listen to it and so deceive yourselves. 1:23 For if someone merely listens to the message and does not live it out, he is like someone 25 who gazes at his own face 26 in a mirror. 1:24 For he gazes at himself and then goes out and immediately forgets 27 what sort of person he was. 1:25 But the one who peers into the perfect law of liberty and fixes his attention there, 28 and does not become a forgetful listener but one who lives it out – he 29 will be blessed in what he does. 30 1:26 If someone thinks he is religious yet does not bridle his tongue, and so deceives his heart, his religion is futile. 1:27 Pure and undefiled religion before 31 God the Father 32 is this: to care for orphans and widows in their misfortune and to keep oneself unstained by the world.
2:1 My brothers and sisters, 33 do not show prejudice 34 if you possess faith 35 in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. 36 2:2 For if someone 37 comes into your assembly 38 wearing a gold ring and fine clothing, and a poor person enters in filthy clothes, 2:3 do you pay attention to the one who is finely dressed and say, 39 “You sit here in a good place,” 40 and to the poor person, “You stand over there,” or “Sit on the floor”? 41 2:4 If so, have you not made distinctions 42 among yourselves and become judges with evil motives? 43 2:5 Listen, my dear brothers and sisters! 44 Did not God choose the poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he promised to those who love him? 2:6 But you have dishonored the poor! 45 Are not the rich oppressing you and dragging you into the courts? 2:7 Do they not blaspheme the good name of the one you belong to? 46 2:8 But if you fulfill the royal law as expressed in this scripture, 47 “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” 48 you are doing well. 2:9 But if you show prejudice, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as violators. 49 2:10 For the one who obeys the whole law but fails 50 in one point has become guilty of all of it. 51 2:11 For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” 52 also said, “Do not murder.” 53 Now if you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a violator of the law. 2:12 Speak and act as those who will be judged by a law that gives freedom. 54 2:13 For judgment is merciless for the one who has shown no mercy. But mercy triumphs over 55 judgment.
2:14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, 56 if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? Can this kind of faith 57 save him? 58 2:15 If a brother or sister 59 is poorly clothed and lacks daily food, 2:16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm and eat well,” but you do not give them what the body needs, 60 what good is it? 2:17 So also faith, if it does not have works, is dead being by itself. 2:18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” 61 Show me your faith without works and I will show you faith by 62 my works. 2:19 You believe that God is one; well and good. 63 Even the demons believe that – and tremble with fear. 64
2:20 But would you like evidence, 65 you empty fellow, 66 that faith without works is useless? 67 2:21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 2:22 You see that his faith was working together with his works and his faith was perfected by works. 2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Now Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness,” 68 and he was called God’s friend. 69 2:24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 2:25 And similarly, was not Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she welcomed the messengers and sent them out by another way? 2:26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.
3:1 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, 70 because you know that we will be judged more strictly. 71 3:2 For we all stumble 72 in many ways. If someone does not stumble 73 in what he says, 74 he is a perfect individual, 75 able to control the entire body as well. 3:3 And if we put bits into the mouths of horses to get them to obey us, then we guide their entire bodies. 76 3:4 Look at ships too: Though they are so large and driven by harsh winds, they are steered by a tiny rudder wherever the pilot’s inclination directs. 3:5 So too the tongue is a small part of the body, 77 yet it has great pretensions. 78 Think 79 how small a flame sets a huge forest ablaze. 3:6 And the tongue is a fire! The tongue represents 80 the world of wrongdoing among the parts of our bodies. It 81 pollutes the entire body and sets fire to the course of human existence – and is set on fire by hell. 82
3:7 For every kind of animal, bird, reptile, and sea creature 83 is subdued and has been subdued by humankind. 84 3:8 But no human being can subdue the tongue; it is a restless 85 evil, full of deadly poison. 3:9 With it we bless the Lord 86 and Father, and with it we curse people 87 made in God’s image. 3:10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. These things should not be so, my brothers and sisters. 88 3:11 A spring does not pour out fresh water and bitter water from the same opening, does it? 3:12 Can a fig tree produce olives, my brothers and sisters, 89 or a vine produce figs? Neither can a salt water spring produce fresh water.
3:13 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct he should show his works done in the gentleness that wisdom brings. 90 3:14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfishness in your hearts, do not boast and tell lies against the truth. 3:15 Such 91 wisdom does not come 92 from above but is earthly, natural, 93 demonic. 3:16 For where there is jealousy and selfishness, there is disorder and every evil practice. 3:17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, accommodating, 94 full of mercy and good fruit, 95 impartial, and not hypocritical. 96 3:18 And the fruit that consists of righteousness 97 is planted 98 in peace among 99 those who make peace.
4:1 Where do the conflicts and where 100 do the quarrels among you come from? Is it not from this, 101 from your passions that battle inside you? 102 4:2 You desire and you do not have; you murder and envy and you cannot obtain; you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask; 4:3 you ask and do not receive because you ask wrongly, so you can spend it on your passions.
4:4 Adulterers, do you not know that friendship with the world means hostility toward God? 103 So whoever decides to be the world’s friend makes himself God’s enemy. 4:5 Or do you think the scripture means nothing when it says, 104 “The spirit that God 105 caused 106 to live within us has an envious yearning”? 107 4:6 But he gives greater grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but he gives grace to the humble.” 108 4:7 So submit to God. But resist the devil and he will flee from you. 4:8 Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and make your hearts pure, you double-minded. 109 4:9 Grieve, mourn, 110 and weep. Turn your laughter 111 into mourning and your joy into despair. 4:10 Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will exalt you.
4:11 Do not speak against one another, brothers and sisters. 112 He who speaks against a fellow believer 113 or judges a fellow believer speaks against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but its judge. 114 4:12 But there is only one who is lawgiver and judge – the one who is able to save and destroy. On the other hand, who are you to judge your neighbor? 115
4:13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into this or that town 116 and spend a year there and do business and make a profit.” 4:14 You 117 do not know about tomorrow. What is your life like? 118 For you are a puff of smoke 119 that appears for a short time and then vanishes. 4:15 You ought to say instead, 120 “If the Lord is willing, then we will live and do this or that.” 4:16 But as it is, 121 you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. 4:17 So whoever knows what is good to do 122 and does not do it is guilty of sin. 123
5:1 Come now, you rich! Weep and cry aloud 124 over the miseries that are coming on you. 5:2 Your riches have rotted and your clothing has become moth-eaten. 5:3 Your gold and silver have rusted and their rust will be a witness against you. It will consume your flesh like fire. It is in the last days that you have hoarded treasure! 125 5:4 Look, the pay you have held back from the workers who mowed your fields cries out against you, and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. 5:5 You have lived indulgently and luxuriously on the earth. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. 126 5:6 You have condemned and murdered the righteous person, although he does not resist you. 127
5:7 So be patient, brothers and sisters, 128 until the Lord’s return. 129 Think of how the farmer waits 130 for the precious fruit of the ground and is patient 131 for it until it receives the early and late rains. 5:8 You also be patient and strengthen your hearts, for the Lord’s return is near. 5:9 Do not grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, 132 so that you may not be judged. See, the judge stands before the gates! 133 5:10 As an example of suffering and patience, brothers and sisters, 134 take the prophets who spoke in the Lord’s name. 5:11 Think of how we regard 135 as blessed those who have endured. You have heard of Job’s endurance and you have seen the Lord’s purpose, that the Lord is full of compassion and mercy. 136 5:12 And above all, my brothers and sisters, 137 do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath. But let your “Yes” be yes and your “No” be no, so that you may not fall into judgment.
5:13 Is anyone among you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone in good spirits? He should sing praises. 5:14 Is anyone among you ill? He should summon the elders of the church, and they should pray for him and anoint 138 him with oil in the name of the Lord. 5:15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick and the Lord will raise him up – and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 139 5:16 So confess your sins to one another and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great effectiveness. 140 5:17 Elijah was a human being 141 like us, and he prayed earnestly 142 that it would not rain and there was no rain on the land for three years and six months! 5:18 Then 143 he prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the land sprouted with a harvest.
5:19 My brothers and sisters, 144 if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone turns him back, 5:20 he should know that the one who turns a sinner back from his wandering path 145 will save that person’s 146 soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
[1:1] 1 tn Grk “James.” The word “From” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.
[1:1] 2 tn Traditionally, “servant” or “bondservant.” Though δοῦλος (doulos) is normally translated “servant,” the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. BDAG notes that “‘servant’ for ‘slave’ is largely confined to Biblical transl. and early American times…in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished” (BDAG 260 s.v.). The most accurate translation is “bondservant” (sometimes found in the ASV for δοῦλος), in that it often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force.
[1:1] sn Undoubtedly the background for the concept of being the Lord’s slave or servant is to be found in the Old Testament scriptures. For a Jew this concept did not connote drudgery, but honor and privilege. It was used of national Israel at times (Isa 43:10), but was especially associated with famous OT personalities, including such great men as Moses (Josh 14:7), David (Ps 89:3; cf. 2 Sam 7:5, 8) and Elijah (2 Kgs 10:10); all these men were “servants (or slaves) of the Lord.”
[1:1] 3 tn Grk “to the twelve tribes in the Diaspora.” The Greek term διασπορά (diaspora, “dispersion”) refers to Jews not living in Palestine but “dispersed” or scattered among the Gentiles.
[1:2] 4 tn Grk “brothers,” but the Greek word may be used for “brothers and sisters” or “fellow Christians” as here (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 1, where considerable nonbiblical evidence for the plural ἀδελφοί [adelfoi] meaning “brothers and sisters” is cited). Where the plural term is used in direct address, as here, “brothers and sisters” is used; where the term is singular and not direct address (as in v. 9), “believer” is preferred.
[1:2] 5 tn Grk “all joy,” “full joy,” or “greatest joy.”
[1:8] 6 tn Grk “a man of two minds,” continuing the description of the person in v. 7, giving the reason that he cannot expect to receive anything. The word for “man” or “individual” is ἀνήρ (anhr), which often means “male” or “man (as opposed to woman).” But it sometimes is used generically to mean “anyone,” “a person,” as here (cf. BDAG 79 s.v. 2).
[1:8] sn A double-minded man is one whose devotion to God is less than total. His attention is divided between God and other things, and as a consequence he is unstable and therefore unable to receive from God.
[1:9] 7 tn Grk “brother.” Here the term “brother” means “fellow believer” or “fellow Christian” (cf. TEV, NLT “Christians”; CEV “God’s people”). The term broadly connotes familial relationships within the family of God (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 2.a).
[1:9] 8 tn Grk “the lowly brother,” but “lowly/humble” is clarified in context by the contrast with “wealthy” in v. 10.
[1:9] 9 tn Grk “let him boast.”
[1:9] 10 tn Grk “his height,” “his exaltation.”
[1:10] 11 tn Grk “a flower of grass.”
[1:11] 12 tn Or “perishes,” “is destroyed.”
[1:12] 13 tn The word for “man” or “individual” here is ἀνήρ (anhr), which often means “male” or “man (as opposed to woman).” However, as BDAG 79 s.v. 2 says, here it is “equivalent to τὶς someone, a person.”
[1:12] 14 tc Most
[1:13] 15 tn Or “God must not be tested by evil people.”
[1:16] 16 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:2.
[1:17] 17 tn The first phrase refers to the action of giving and the second to what is given.
[1:17] 18 tn Or “All generous giving and every perfect gift from above is coming down.”
[1:17] 19 tn Grk “variation or shadow of turning” (referring to the motions of heavenly bodies causing variations of light and darkness).
[1:18] 20 tn Grk “Having willed, he gave us birth.”
[1:19] 21 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:2.
[1:20] 22 tn The word translated “human” here is ἀνήρ (anhr), which often means “male” or “man (as opposed to woman).” But it sometimes is used generically to mean “anyone,” “a person” (cf. BDAG 79 s.v. 2), and in this context, contrasted with “God’s righteousness,” the point is “human” anger (not exclusively “male” anger).
[1:20] 23 sn God’s righteousness could refer to (1) God’s righteous standard, (2) the righteousness God gives, (3) righteousness before God, or (4) God’s eschatological righteousness (see P. H. Davids, James [NIGTC], 93, for discussion).
[1:21] 24 tn Or “with meekness.”
[1:23] 25 tn The word for “man” or “individual” is ἀνήρ (anhr), which often means “male” or “man (as opposed to woman).” However, as BDAG 79 s.v. 2 says, here it is “equivalent to τὶς someone, a person.”
[1:23] 26 tn Grk “the face of his beginning [or origin].”
[1:24] 27 tn Grk “and he has gone out and immediately has forgotten.”
[1:25] 30 tn Grk “in his doing.”
[1:27] 31 tn Or “in the sight of”; Grk “with.”
[1:27] 32 tn Grk “the God and Father.”
[2:1] 33 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:2.
[2:1] 35 tn Grk “do not have faith with personal prejudice,” with emphasis on the last phrase.
[2:1] 36 tn Grk “our Lord Jesus Christ of glory.” Here δόξης (doxhs) has been translated as an attributive genitive.
[2:2] 37 tn The word for “man” or “individual” here is ἀνήρ (anhr), which often means “male” or “man (as opposed to woman).” But as BDAG 79 s.v. 2 says, “equivalent to τὶς someone.”
[2:2] 38 tn Grk “synagogue.” Usually συναγωγή refers to Jewish places of worship (e.g., Matt 4:23, Mark 1:21, Luke 4:15, John 6:59). The word can be used generally to refer to a place of assembly, and here it refers specifically to a Christian assembly (BDAG 963 s.v. 2.b.).
[2:3] 39 tn Grk “and you pay attention…and say,” continuing the “if” clauses from v. 2. In the Greek text, vv. 2-4 form one long sentence.
[2:3] 40 tn Or “sit here, please.”
[2:3] 41 tn Grk “sit under my footstool.” The words “on the floor” have been supplied in the translation to clarify for the modern reader the undesirability of this seating arrangement (so also TEV, NIV, CEV, NLT). Another option followed by a number of translations is to replace “under my footstool” with “at my feet” (NAB, NIV, NRSV).
[2:4] 42 tn Grk “have you not made distinctions” (as the conclusion to the series of “if” clauses in vv. 2-3).
[2:4] 43 tn Grk “judges of evil reasonings.”
[2:5] 44 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:2.
[2:6] 45 tn This is singular: “the poor person,” perhaps referring to the hypothetical one described in vv. 2-3.
[2:7] 46 tn Grk “that was invoked over you,” referring to their baptism in which they confessed their faith in Christ and were pronounced to be his own. To have the Lord’s name “named over them” is OT imagery for the Lord’s ownership of his people (cf. 2 Chr 7:14; Amos 9:12; Isa 63:19; Jer 14:9; 15:16; Dan 9:19; Acts 15:17).
[2:8] 47 tn Grk “according to the scripture.”
[2:8] 48 sn A quotation from Lev 19:18 (also quoted in Matt 19:19; 22:39; Mark 12:31; Luke 10:27; Rom 13:9; Gal 5:14).
[2:9] 49 tn Or “transgressors.”
[2:10] 51 tn Grk “guilty of all.”
[2:11] 52 sn A quotation from Exod 20:14 and Deut 5:18.
[2:11] 53 sn A quotation from Exod 20:13 and Deut 5:17.
[2:12] 54 tn Grk “a law of freedom.”
[2:13] 55 tn Grk “boasts against, exults over,” in victory.
[2:14] 56 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:2.
[2:14] 57 tn Grk “the faith,” referring to the kind of faith just described: faith without works. The article here is anaphoric, referring to the previous mention of the noun πίστις (pisti") in the verse. See ExSyn 219.
[2:14] 58 sn The form of the question in Greek expects a negative answer.
[2:15] 59 tn It is important to note that the words ἀδελφός (adelfos) and ἀδελφή (adelfh) both occur in the Greek text at this point, confirming that the author intended to refer to both men and women. See the note on “someone” in 2:2.
[2:16] 60 tn Grk “what is necessary for the body.”
[2:18] 61 tn There is considerable doubt about where the words of the “someone” end and where James’ reply begins. Some see the quotation running to the end of v. 18; others to the end of v. 19. But most punctuate as shown above. The “someone” is then an objector, and the sense of his words is something like, “Some have faith; others have works; don’t expect everyone to have both.” James’ reply is that faith cannot exist or be seen without works.
[2:19] 63 tn Grk “you do well.”
[2:19] 64 tn Grk “believe and tremble.” The words “with fear” are implied.
[2:20] 65 tn Grk “do you want to know.”
[2:20] 66 tn Grk “O empty man.” Here the singular vocative ἄνθρωπε (anqrwpe, “man”) means “person” or even “fellow.” Cf. BDAG 82 s.v. ἄνθρωπος 8 which views this as an instance of rhetorical address in a letter; the pejorative sense is also discussed under the previous heading (7).
[2:20] 67 tc Most witnesses, including several important ones (א A C2 P Ψ 33 Ï sy bo), have νεκρά (nekra, “dead”) here, while Ì74 reads κενή (kenh, “empty”). Both variants are most likely secondary, derived from ἀργή (argh, “useless”). The reading of the majority is probably an assimilation to the statements in vv. 17 and 26, while Ì74’s reading picks up on κενέ (kene) earlier in the verse. The external evidence (B C* 323 945 1739 sa) for ἀργή is sufficient for authenticity; coupled with the strong internal evidence for the reading (if νεκρά were original, how would ἀργή have arisen here and not in vv. 17 or 26?), it is strongly preferred.
[2:23] 68 sn A quotation from Gen 15:6.
[2:23] 69 sn An allusion to 2 Chr 20:7; Isa 41:8; 51:2; Dan 3:35 (LXX), in which Abraham is called God’s “beloved.”
[3:1] 70 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:2.
[3:1] 71 tn Grk “will receive a greater judgment.”
[3:2] 75 tn The word for “man” or “individual” is ἀνήρ (anhr), which often means “male” or “man (as opposed to woman).” But it sometimes is used generically to mean “anyone,” “a person,” as here (cf. BDAG 79 s.v. 2).
[3:3] 76 tn Grk “their entire body.”
[3:5] 77 tn Grk “a small member.”
[3:5] 78 tn Grk “boasts of great things.”
[3:6] 80 tn Grk “makes itself,” “is made.”
[3:6] 81 tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
[3:6] 82 sn The word translated hell is “Gehenna” (γέεννα, geenna), a Greek transliteration of the Hebrew words ge hinnom (“Valley of Hinnom”). This was the valley along the south side of Jerusalem. In OT times it was used for human sacrifices to the pagan god Molech (cf. Jer 7:31; 19:5-6; 32:35), and it came to be used as a place where human excrement and rubbish were disposed of and burned. In the intertestamental period, it came to be used symbolically as the place of divine punishment (cf. 1 En. 27:2, 90:26; 4 Ezra 7:36).
[3:7] 83 tn Grk (plurals), “every kind of animals and birds, of reptiles and sea creatures.”
[3:7] 84 tn Grk “the human species.”
[3:8] 85 tc Most
[3:9] 86 tc Most later
[3:9] 87 tn Grk “men”; but here ἀνθρώπους (anqrwpous) has generic force, referring to both men and women.
[3:10] 88 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:2.
[3:12] 89 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:2.
[3:13] 90 tn Grk “works in the gentleness of wisdom.”
[3:15] 92 tn Grk “come down”; “descend.”
[3:15] 93 tn Grk “soulish,” which describes life apart from God, characteristic of earthly human life as opposed to what is spiritual. Cf. 1 Cor 2:14; 15:44-46; Jude 19.
[3:17] 94 tn Or “willing to yield,” “open to persuasion.”
[3:17] 95 tn Grk “fruits.” The plural Greek term καρπούς has been translated with the collective singular “fruit.”
[3:18] 97 tn Grk “the fruit of righteousness,” meaning righteous living as a fruit, as the thing produced.
[3:18] 99 tn Or “for,” or possibly “by.”
[4:1] 100 tn The word “where” is repeated in Greek for emphasis.
[4:1] 102 tn Grk “in your members [i.e., parts of the body].”
[4:4] 103 tn Grk “is hostility toward God.”
[4:5] 104 tn Grk “vainly says.”
[4:5] 105 tn Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[4:5] 106 tc The Byzantine text and a few other
[4:5] 107 tn Interpreters debate the referent of the word “spirit” in this verse: (1) The translation takes “spirit” to be the lustful capacity within people that produces a divided mind (1:8, 14) and inward conflicts regarding God (4:1-4). God has allowed it to be in man since the fall, and he provides his grace (v. 6) and the new birth through the gospel message (1:18-25) to counteract its evil effects. (2) On the other hand the word “spirit” may be taken positively as the Holy Spirit and the sense would be, “God yearns jealously for the Spirit he caused to live within us.” But the word for “envious” or “jealous” is generally negative in biblical usage and the context before and after seems to favor the negative interpretation.
[4:5] sn No OT verse is worded exactly this way. This is either a statement about the general teaching of scripture or a quotation from an ancient translation of the Hebrew text that no longer exists today.
[4:6] 108 sn A quotation from Prov 3:34.
[4:8] 109 tn Or “two-minded” (the same description used in 1:8).
[4:9] 110 tn This term and the following one are preceded by καί (kai) in the Greek text, but contemporary English generally uses connectives only between the last two items in such a series.
[4:9] 111 tn Grk “let your laughter be turned.”
[4:11] 112 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:2.
[4:11] 113 tn See note on the word “believer” in 1:9.
[4:12] 115 tn Grk “who judges your neighbor.”
[4:14] 117 tn Grk “who” (continuing the description of the people of v. 13). Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
[4:14] 118 tn Or “you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow.”
[4:14] 119 tn Or “a vapor.” The Greek word ἀτμίς (atmis) denotes a swirl of smoke arising from a fire (cf. Gen 19:28; Lev 16:13; Joel 2:30 [Acts 2:19]; Ezek 8:11).
[4:15] 120 tn Grk “instead of your saying.”
[4:17] 122 tn Or “knows how to do what is good.”
[4:17] 123 tn Grk “to him it is sin.”
[5:1] 124 tn Or “wail”; Grk “crying aloud.”
[5:3] 125 tn Or “hoarded up treasure for the last days”; Grk “in the last days.”
[5:5] 126 sn James’ point seems to be that instead of seeking deliverance from condemnation, they have defied God’s law (fattened your hearts) and made themselves more likely objects of his judgment (in a day of slaughter).
[5:6] 127 tn Literally a series of verbs without connectives, “you have condemned, you have murdered…he does not resist.”
[5:7] 128 tn Grk “brothers”; this phrase occurs again three times in the paragraph. See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:2.
[5:7] 129 tn Or “advent”; or “coming” (also in v. 8).
[5:7] 130 tn Grk “Behold! The farmer waits.”
[5:7] 131 tn Grk “being patient.”
[5:9] 132 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:2.
[5:9] 133 sn The term gates is used metaphorically here. The physical referent would be the entrances to the city, but the author uses the term to emphasize the imminence of the judge’s approach.
[5:10] 134 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:2.
[5:11] 135 tn Grk “Behold! We regard…”
[5:11] 136 sn An allusion to Exod 34:6; Neh 9:17; Ps 86:15; 102:13; Joel 2:13; Jonah 4:2.
[5:12] 137 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:2.
[5:14] 138 tn Grk “anointing.”
[5:15] 139 tn Grk “it will be forgiven him.”
[5:16] 140 tn Or “the fervent prayer of a righteous person is very powerful”; Grk “is very powerful in its working.”
[5:17] 141 tn Although it is certainly true that Elijah was a “man,” here ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") has been translated as “human being” because the emphasis in context is not on Elijah’s masculine gender, but on the common humanity he shared with the author and the readers.
[5:17] 142 tn Grk “he prayed with prayer” (using a Hebrew idiom to show intensity).
[5:18] 143 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events.
[5:19] 144 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:2.
[5:20] 145 tn Grk “from the error of his way” (using the same root as the verb “to wander, to err” in the first part of the verse).
[5:20] 146 tn Grk “his soul”; the referent (the sinner mentioned at the beginning of the verse) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
