James 1:1
Ἰάκωβος θεοῦ καὶ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ δοῦλος ταῖς δώδεκα φυλαῖς ταῖς ἐν τῇ διασπορᾷ χαίρειν.
Jacob, slave of God and the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes, to those in the diaspora, Greetings!
Paraphrase: I, James, am the author of this letter. I am nothing more than a slave of God and of His Son, Jesus Christ. I am writing this to all of you who belong to the twelve tribes of Israel, not just ethnically but especially to those who love the religion of the fathers with their whole heart. Many of you are fleeing the persecutions in Judea and are now trying to rebuild your lives in a new location. (Acts 8:1; 9:1; 12:1) Now to all of you, wherever you are, I say, Greetings!
Comments:
James 1:2
Πᾶσαν χαρὰν ἡγήσασθε, ἀδελφοί μου, ὅταν πειρασμοῖς περιπέσητε ποικίλοις,
Reckon [it] all joy, my brothers when many trials might fall.
Paraphrase: Dear brothers and sisters, I know you are all experiencing all sorts of trials. Many of you have had to flee your homes and lands, abandoned thriving businesses, said good-bye to friends and neighbors. I know it is difficult to understand but consider this truth. These trials are opening up opportunities (James 1:27) for you to experience real joy as you learn to face these hardships in the spirit of our great Master, Jesus Christ.
Comments:
πειρασμός can mean a trial of suffering but also a trial where we are tempted to sin.
James 1:3
γινώσκοντες ὅτι τὸ δοκίμιον ὑμῶν τῆς πίστεως κατεργάζεται ὑπομονήν·
knowing that the trial of your faith works steadfastness.
Paraphrase: Of course, you are well aware that when we suffer, our faith grows stronger. We become less susceptible to worldly temptations (James 1:27), more patient with others (James 4:1), and more focused on the real treasure which is the kingdom which will we hope to inherit. (James 2:5; Matthew 5:3)
Comments:
ὑπομονήν can mean quite a variety of different things here.
James 1:4
ἡ δὲ ὑπομονὴ ἔργον τέλειον ἐχέτω, ἵνα ἦτε τέλειοι καὶ ὁλόκληροι, ἐν μηδενὶ λειπόμενοι.
But let steadfastness have its perfect work in order that you might be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
Paraphrase: So let this suffering have its proper effect on you; don’t stand in its way. Improve these trials so that you will grow to become mature and strong Christians, ready to do the work of God wherever you might find yourself. These trials will bring you to see that you don’t need any of what the world counts as necessities. You can follow Jesus with whatever He sees fit to give you.
Comments:
James 1:5
Εἰ δέ τις ὑμῶν λείπεται σοφίας, αἰτείτω παρὰ τοῦ διδόντος θεοῦ πᾶσιν ἁπλῶς καὶ μὴ ὀνειδίζοντος, καὶ δοθήσεται αὐτῷ·
Now if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask from God who is giving to all generously and not rebuking and it will be given to him.
Paraphrase: Now in your situation, you need great wisdom and discernment. I am sure there are many times when you just don’t know what to do. Every day, new ethical dilemmas arise which you had never thought about before. What to do? Well, dear brothers and sisters, when you reach this point where you feel your own deficiency and your own inability to know the right way forward, then fall on your knees and cry out to God. He is the giving God, and He gives generously. (Matthew 7:7-11) He doesn’t get angry or irritated at our constant asking like we sometimes do with our children. Indeed, the opposite is the case. God’s ear is always open and turned towards His people who are praying to Him; He loves to hear their prayers. When we ask for wisdom, God will surely hear and give what we ask for.
Comments:
James 1:6
αἰτείτω δὲ ἐν πίστει, μηδὲν διακρινόμενος, ὁ γὰρ διακρινόμενος ἔοικεν κλύδωνι θαλάσσης ἀνεμιζομένῳ καὶ ῥιπιζομένῳ·
But let him ask in faith, not doubting for the doubter is like the wave of the sea being wind blown and agitated.
Paraphrase: But remember this, dear friends. When we pray, we must pray in faith. We do not pray as those who are wondering if they will receive what they really need from God. We pray with a full confidence that our Father is working everything for our good. (Romans 8:28) If you once come to doubt that, then you are at the mercy of every distressing thought and anxiety that might dart into your mind. You will end up like the waves of the sea which are tossed about by every blast of wind. These waves are always restless; they rise and fall just as the wind drives them along. The one who has his confidence fixed on God, however, can dismiss such fears and anxieties with one simple thought. God hears all my prayers and will always give me the best thing possible. This is true even when He sees fit to deny what I have asked.
Comments:
James 1:7
μὴ γὰρ οἰέσθω ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐκεῖνος ὅτι λήμψεταί τι παρὰ τοῦ κυρίου
For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord.
Paraphrase: Be sure of this; the man who is always wondering whether God really knows what He is doing, such a man will not receive anything from our Lord Jesus Christ. He hasn’t learned the very first lesson which every Christian learns on their first day in Christ’s kingdom; fear not, only believe. (Mark 5:36; Luke 8:50)
Comments:
James 1:8
ἀνὴρ δίψυχος, ἀκατάστατος ἐν πάσαις ταῖς ὁδοῖς αὐτοῦ.
A doubled-minded man, vacillating in all his ways.
Paraphrase: He is like the people of Israel who Elijah said were constantly going back and forth between two opinions. (1 Kings 18:21) Let me put it this way; such a person lives like he has two minds. One day he thinks this way; the next day, he has changed his mind and is thinking a different way. He is constantly vacillating between different ideas and ends up bringing untold misery and anxiety into his life. (Ephesians 4:14)
Comments:
Moulton & Milligan conclude (p166) that δίψυχος is a word coined by James himself and is evidence that this letter was written at an early date.
James 1:9
Καυχάσθω δὲ ὁ ἀδελφὸς ὁ ταπεινὸς ἐν τῷ ὕψει αὐτοῦ,
The oppressed brother, let him boast in his exaltation.
Paraphrase: You are oppressed and humiliated. Every day, you live with the injustice and harassment dealt out to you from your own countrymen, but don’t let this get you down. When you have the confidence which I have been speaking of, you cannot get any higher. This is a point of power and preeminence which not even Caesar himself can match.
Comments:
James 1:10
ὁ δὲ πλούσιος ἐν τῇ ταπεινώσει αὐτοῦ, ὅτι ὡς ἄνθος χόρτου παρελεύσεται.
James 1:11
ἀνέτειλεν γὰρ ὁ ἥλιος σὺν τῷ καύσωνι καὶ ἐξήρανεν τὸν χόρτον, καὶ τὸ ἄνθος αὐτοῦ ἐξέπεσεν καὶ ἡ εὐπρέπεια τοῦ προσώπου αὐτοῦ ἀπώλετο· οὕτως καὶ ὁ πλούσιος ἐν ταῖς πορείαις αὐτοῦ μαρανθήσεται.
James 1:12
Μακάριος ἀνὴρ ὃς ὑπομένει πειρασμόν, ὅτι δόκιμος γενόμενος λήμψεται τὸν στέφανον τῆς ζωῆς, ὃν ἐπηγγείλατο τοῖς ἀγαπῶσιν αὐτόν.
Blessed is the man who endures temptation because, being verified, he will receive the crown of life which is promised to those who love Him.
Paraphrase: Blessed and happy are those who refuse to deny Christ in the face of powerful temptations. There are times in the life of God’s children when Satan (James 4:7) dangles very attractive things before their eyes. He shows them appeal of it and promises them untold pleasure and happiness. (Genesis 3:4-5; Matthew 4:8-9) Such persons, however, are not fooled by Satan’s tricks. (Ephesians 6:11) They stay true to Christ; and by this refusal to bow to Satan, they are proven to be genuine Christians. (Deuteronomy 8:2; Job 23:10; 1 Peter 1:6-7; 2 Corinthians 13:5) They will surely receive the crown which God has promised to those who love Him. This crown is eternal life. (1 Corinthians 9:25; 1 Peter 5:4; Revelation 2:10; 3:11)
Comments:
James 1:13
μηδεὶς πειραζόμενος λεγέτω ὅτι Ἀπὸ θεοῦ πειράζομαι· ὁ γὰρ θεὸς ἀπείραστός ἐστιν κακῶν, πειράζει δὲ αὐτὸς οὐδένα.
Let no one say, when being tempted, “From God, I am tempted.” For God is untemptable of evil, and He Himself tempts no one.
Paraphrase: Some Christians complain that their temptations come from God. They wonder why God would allow such temptations to come in their life knowing that it will likely lead them into even more sin and evil. Be careful, however, that such a thought never enters your mind. God is the perfect standard of all righteousness and goodness, and it is not even possible for Him to be drawn to evil. Neither does God ever bring trials in a person’s life with the intent that such a person lose His soul. (Ezekiel 33:11; 1 Timothy 2:3-4; 2 Peter 3:9) On the contrary, this is what Satan aims to do; His one goal is to drag people down to hell with him. (Revelation 12:9) God’s goal is that you would bear much fruit; and to this end, He prunes you (John 15:2) and tests you so that your faith might be shown to be genuine. (1 Peter 1:7; James 1:2-4)
Comments:
For λεγέτω, see BBG 33.8. For ἀπείραστός, see p497.
κακῶν is a genitive (or ablative) of means; see p82. See p514 for more on the ablative case.
For αυτος, see principle 19.
James 1:14
ἕκαστος δὲ πειράζεται ὑπὸ τῆς ἰδίας ἐπιθυμίας ἐξελκόμενος καὶ δελεαζόμενος·
But each one is tempted by his own desires being lured out and enticed.
Paraphrase: If you want to see the source of your temptations, look within. (Proverbs 19:3) Look at your own desires and ambitions which are enslaved to a heart that is totally depraved. This is the real reason you find sinful choices to be so appealing.
Comments:
James 1:15
εἶτα ἡ ἐπιθυμία συλλαβοῦσα τίκτει ἁμαρτίαν, ἡ δὲ ἁμαρτία ἀποτελεσθεῖσα ἀποκύει θάνατον.
James 1:16
μὴ πλανᾶσθε, ἀδελφοί μου ἀγαπητοί.
Jas 1:17
Πᾶσα δόσις ἀγαθὴ καὶ πᾶν δώρημα τέλειον ἄνωθέν ἐστιν, καταβαῖνον ἀπὸ τοῦ πατρὸς τῶν φώτων, παρ’ ᾧ οὐκ ἔνι παραλλαγὴ ἢ τροπῆς ἀποσκίασμα.
Jas 1:18
βουληθεὶς ἀπεκύησεν ἡμᾶς λόγῳ ἀληθείας, εἰς τὸ εἶναι ἡμᾶς ἀπαρχήν τινα τῶν αὐτοῦ κτισμάτων.
Jas 1:19
Ἴστε, ἀδελφοί μου ἀγαπητοί. ἔστω δὲ πᾶς ἄνθρωπος ταχὺς εἰς τὸ ἀκοῦσαι, βραδὺς εἰς τὸ λαλῆσαι, βραδὺς εἰς ὀργήν,
Jas 1:20
ὀργὴ γὰρ ἀνδρὸς δικαιοσύνην θεοῦ οὐκ ἐργάζεται.
Jas 1:21
διὸ ἀποθέμενοι πᾶσαν ῥυπαρίαν καὶ περισσείαν κακίας ἐν πραΰτητι δέξασθε τὸν ἔμφυτον λόγον τὸν δυνάμενον σῶσαι τὰς ψυχὰς ὑμῶν.
Jas 1:22
Γίνεσθε δὲ ποιηταὶ λόγου καὶ μὴ ἀκροαταὶ μόνον παραλογιζόμενοι ἑαυτούς.
Jas 1:23
ὅτι εἴ τις ἀκροατὴς λόγου ἐστὶν καὶ οὐ ποιητής, οὗτος ἔοικεν ἀνδρὶ κατανοοῦντι τὸ πρόσωπον τῆς γενέσεως αὐτοῦ ἐν ἐσόπτρῳ,
Jas 1:24
κατενόησεν γὰρ ἑαυτὸν καὶ ἀπελήλυθεν καὶ εὐθέως ἐπελάθετο ὁποῖος ἦν.
Jas 1:25
ὁ δὲ παρακύψας εἰς νόμον τέλειον τὸν τῆς ἐλευθερίας καὶ παραμείνας, οὐκ ἀκροατὴς ἐπιλησμονῆς γενόμενος ἀλλὰ ποιητὴς ἔργου, οὗτος μακάριος ἐν τῇ ποιήσει αὐτοῦ ἔσται.
Jas 1:26
Εἴ τις δοκεῖ θρησκὸς εἶναι μὴ χαλιναγωγῶν γλῶσσαν αὐτοῦ ἀλλὰ ἀπατῶν καρδίαν αὐτοῦ, τούτου μάταιος ἡ θρησκεία.
Jas 1:27
θρησκεία καθαρὰ καὶ ἀμίαντος παρὰ τῷ θεῷ καὶ πατρὶ αὕτη ἐστίν, ἐπισκέπτεσθαι ὀρφανοὺς καὶ χήρας ἐν τῇ θλίψει αὐτῶν, ἄσπιλον ἑαυτὸν τηρεῖν ἀπὸ τοῦ κόσμου.