¹ tn Grk “James.” The word “From” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.
²tn Traditionally, “servant” or “bondservant.” Though dou'lo" (doulos) is normally translated “servant,” the word does not bear the connotation of a free man serving another. BAGD 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” (BAGD 205 s.v. dou'lo"). The most accurate translation is “bondservant” (sometimes found in the ASV for dou'lo"), in that it often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force.
³sn The dispersion refers to the Jews not living in Palestine but scattered out across the Mediterranean world.
⁴tn Grk “brothers,” but the Greek word may be used for “brothers and sisters” or “fellow Christians” as here (cf. BAGD 16 s.v. ajdelfov" 1, where considerable nonbiblical evidence for the plural ajdelfoiv [adelfoi] meaning “brothers and sisters” is cited).
⁵tn Grk “all joy,” “full joy,” or “greatest joy.”
⁶tn 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 ajnhvr (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. BAGD 66 s.v. 1, 6).
⁷tn Grk “brother.” Here the term “brother” means “fellow believer” or “fellow Christian” (cf. BAGD 16 s.v. ajdelfov" 2).
⁸tn Grk “the lowly brother,” but “lowly/humble” is clarified in context by the contrast with “wealthy” in v. 10.
⁹tn Grk “let him boast.”
¹⁰tn Grk “his height,” “his exaltation.”
¹¹tn Grk “a flower of grass.”
¹²tn Or “perishes,” “is destroyed.”
¹³tn The word for “man” or “individual” here is ajnhvr (anhr), which often means “male” or “man (as opposed to woman).” But as BAGD 67 s.v. 6 says, “equivalent to ti" someone.”
¹⁴tn Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
¹⁵tn Or “God must not be tested by evil people.”
¹⁶tn See the note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:2.
¹⁷tn The first phrase refers to the action of giving and the second to what is given.
¹⁸tn Or “All generous giving and every perfect gift from above is coming down.”
¹⁹tn Grk “variation or shadow of turning” (referring to the motions of heavenly bodies causing variations of light and darkness).
²⁰tn Grk “Having willed, he gave us birth.”
²¹tn See the note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:2.
²²tn The word translated “human” here is ajnhvr (anhr), which often means “male” or “man (as opposed to woman).” But it sometimes is used generically to mean “anyone,” “a person,” (cf. BAGD 67 s.v. 6), and in this context, contrasted with “God’s righteousness,” the point is “human” anger (not “male” anger).
²³tn Or “with meekness.”
²⁴tn The word for “man” or “individual” is ajnhvr (anhr), which often means “male” or “man (as opposed to woman).” But as BAGD 67 s.v. 6 says, “equivalent to ti" someone.”
²⁵tn Grk “the face of his (beginning/origin).”
²⁶tn Grk “and he has gone out and immediately has forgotten.”
²⁷tn Grk “continues.”
²⁸tn Grk “this one.”
²⁹tn Grk “in his doing.”
³⁰tn Or “in the sight of”; Grk “with.”
³¹tn Grk “the God and Father.”
¹tn Grk “brothers,” but the Greek word may be used for “brothers and sisters” or “fellow Christians” as here (cf. BAGD 16 s.v. ajdelfov" 1, where considerable nonbiblical evidence for the plural ajdelfoiv [adelfoi] meaning “brothers and sisters” is cited).
²tn Or “partiality.”
³tn Grk “do not have faith with personal prejudice,” with emphasis on the last phrase.
⁴tn Grk “our Lord Jesus Christ of glory.” Here dovxh" (doxhs) has been translated as an attributive genitive.
⁵tn The word for “man” or “individual” here is ajnhvr (anhr), which often means “male” or “man (as opposed to woman).” But as BAGD 67 s.v. 6 says, “equivalent to ti" someone.”
⁶tn 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.
⁷tn Or “sit here, please.”
⁸tn Grk “under my footstool.”
⁹tn Grk “have you not made distinctions” (as the conclusion to the series of “if” clauses in vv. 2-3).
¹⁰tn Grk “judges of evil reasonings.”
¹¹tn See the note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 2:1.
¹²tn This is singular: “the poor person,” perhaps referring to the hypothetical one described in vv. 2-3.
¹³tn 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).
¹⁴tn Grk “according to the scripture.”
¹⁵sn 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).
¹⁶tn Or “transgressors.”
¹⁷tn Or “stumbles.”
¹⁸tn Grk “guilty of all.”
¹⁹sn A quotation from Exod 20:14 and Deut 5:18.
²⁰sn A quotation from Exod 20:13 and Deut 5:17.
²¹tn Grk “a law of freedom.”
²²tn Grk “boasts against, exults over,” in victory.
²³tn See the note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 2:1.
²⁴tn Grk “the faith,” referring to the kind of faith just described: faith without works.
²⁵sn The form of the question in Greek expects a negative answer.
²⁶tn It is important to note that the words ajdelfov" (adelfos) and ajdelfhv (adelfh) are both 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.
²⁷tn Grk “what is necessary for the body.”
²⁸tn 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.
²⁹tn Or “from.”
³⁰tn Grk “you do well.”
³¹tn Grk “believe and tremble.” The words “with fear” are implied.
³²tn Grk “do you want to know.”
³³tn Grk “O empty man.”
³⁴sn A quotation from Gen 15:6.
³⁵sn An allusion to 2 Chr 20:7; Isa 41:8; 51:2; Dan 3:35 (LXX), in which Abraham is called God’s “beloved.”
¹tn Grk “brothers,” but the Greek word may be used for “brothers and sisters” or “fellow Christians” as here (cf. BAGD 16 s.v. ajdelfov" 1, where considerable nonbiblical evidence for the plural ajdelfoiv [adelfoi] meaning “brothers and sisters” is cited).
²tn Grk “will receive a greater judgment.”
³tn Or “fail.”
⁴tn Or “fail.”
⁵tn Grk “in speech.”
⁶tn The word for “man” or “individual” is ajnhvr (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. BAGD 66 s.v. 1, 6).
⁷tn Grk “their entire body.”
⁸tn Grk “a small member.”
⁹tn Grk “boasts of great things.”
¹⁰tn Grk “makes itself,” “is made.”
¹¹tn Grk (plurals), “every kind of animals and birds, of reptiles and sea creatures.”
¹²tn Grk “the human species.”
¹³tn Grk “men”; but here ajnqrwvpou" (anqrwpous) has generic force, referring to both men and women.
¹⁴tn See the note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 3:1.
¹⁵tn See the note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 3:1.
¹⁶tn Grk “who…among you.”
¹⁷tn Grk “works in the gentleness of wisdom.”
¹⁸tn Grk “This.”
¹⁹tn Grk “come down”; “descend.”
²⁰tn 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.
²¹tn Or. “willing to yield,” “open to persuasion.”
²²tn Or “sincere.”
²³tn Grk “the fruit of righteousness,” meaning righteous living as a fruit, as the thing produced.
²⁴tn Grk “is sown.”
²⁵tn Or “for,” or possibly “by.”
¹tn The word “where” is repeated in Greek for emphasis.
²tn Grk “from here.”
³tn Grk “in your members [i.e., parts of the body].”
⁴tn Grk “is hostility towards God.”
⁵tn Grk “vainly says.” No OT verse is worded exactly this way. This is a statement about the general teaching of scripture or it quotes a translation not preserved to us today.
⁶tn Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
⁷tn 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 consistently negative in biblical usage and the context before and after seems to favor the negative interpretation.
⁸sn A quotation from Prov 3:34.
⁹tn Or “two-minded” (the same description used in 1:8).
¹⁰tn This term and the following one are preceded by kaiv (kai) in the Greek text, but contemporary English generally uses connectives only between the last two items in such a series.
¹¹tn Grk “let your laughter be turned.”
¹²tn Grk “brothers,” but the Greek word may be used for “brothers and sisters” or “fellow Christians” as here (cf. BAGD 16 s.v. ajdelfov" 1, where considerable nonbiblical evidence for the plural ajdelfoiv [adelfoi] meaning “brothers and sisters” is cited).
¹³tn Grk “brother.” Here the term “brother” means “fellow believer” or “fellow Christian” (cf. BAGD 16 s.v. ajdelfov" 2).
¹⁴tn See the note on the previous occurrence of the phrase “fellow believer” in this verse.
¹⁵tn Grk “a judge.”
¹⁶tn Grk “who judges your neighbor.”
¹⁷tn Or “city.”
¹⁸tn 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.
¹⁹tn Or “you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow.”
²⁰tn Or “a vapor.” The Greek word ajtmiv" (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).
²¹tn Grk “instead of your saying.”
²²tn Grk “but now.”
²³tn Or “knows how to do what is good.”
²⁴tn Grk “to him it is sin.”
¹tn Or “wail”; Grk “crying aloud.”
²tn Or “hoarded up treasure for the last days”; Grk “in the last days.”
³sn 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).
⁴tn Literally a series of verbs without connectives, “you have condemned, you have murdered…he does not resist.”
⁵tn Grk “brothers,” but the Greek word may be used for “brothers and sisters” or “fellow Christians” as here (cf. BAGD 16 s.v. ajdelfov" 1, where considerable nonbiblical evidence for the plural ajdelfoiv [adelfoi] meaning “brothers and sisters” is cited).
⁶tn Grk “Behold! The farmer waits.”
⁷tn Grk “being patient.”
⁸tn See the note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 5:7.
⁹tn See the note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 5:7.
¹⁰tn Grk “Behold! We regard…”
¹¹sn An allusion to Exod 34:6; Neh 9:17; Psa 86:15; 102:13; Joel 2:13; Jonah 4:2.
¹²tn See the note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 5:7.
¹³tn Grk “anointing.”
¹⁴tn Grk “it will be forgiven him.”
¹⁵tn Or “the fervent prayer of a righteous person is very powerful”; Grk “is very powerful in its working.”
¹⁶tn Grk “he prayed with prayer” (using a Hebrew idiom to show intensity).
¹⁷tn Here kaiv (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events.
¹⁸tn See the note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 5:7.
¹⁹tn 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).
²⁰tn Grk “his soul”; the referent (the sinner mentioned at the beginning of the verse) has been specified in the translation for clarity.