YAC 1:13 Interlinear View

1. Greek word
2. Greek lemma
3. OET-LV words
4. OET-RV words
5. Strongs
6. Role/Morphology
7. OET Gloss
8. VLT Gloss
9. CAPS codes
10. Confidence
11. OET tags
12. OET word #
1. Μηδείς
2. mēdeis
3. No one
4. -
5. 33670
6. R····NMS
7. no_one
8. no_one
9. S
10. Y60
11. 146642
1. πειραζόμενος
2. peirazō
3. being tempted
4. -
5. 39850
6. VPPP·NMS
7. ˓being˒ tempted
8. ˓being˒ tempted
9. -
10. Y60
11. 146643
1. λεγέτω
2. legō
3. let be saying
4. should say
5. 30040
6. VMPA3··S
7. ˓let_be˒ saying
8. ˓let_be˒ saying
9. -
10. Y60
11. 146644
1. ὅτι
2. hoti
3. that
4. -
5. 37540
6. C·······
7. ¬that
8. ¬that
9. -
10. Y60
11. 146645
1. Ἀπό
2. apo
3. By
4. -
5. 5750
6. P·······
7. by
8. by
9. D
10. Y60
11. 146646
1. Ὑπό
2. hupo
3. -
4. -
5. 52590
6. P·······
7. by
8. by
9. D
10. -
11. 146647
1. τοῦ
2. ho
3. -
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····GMS
7. ¬the
8. ¬the
9. -
10. -
11. 146648
1. Θεοῦ
2. theos
3. god
4. -
5. 23160
6. N····GMS
7. god
8. God
9. GN
10. Y60; Person=God
11. 146649
1. πειράζομαι
2. peirazō
3. I am being tempted
4. -
5. 39850
6. VIPP1··S
7. ˱I˲ ˓am_being˒ tempted
8. ˱I˲ ˓am_being˒ tempted
9. -
10. Y60
11. 146650
1. ὁ
2. ho
3. the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····NMS
7. ¬the
8. ¬the
9. -
10. Y60
11. 146651
1. Γάρ
2. gar
3. For/Because
4. because
5. 10630
6. C·······
7. for
8. for
9. S
10. Y60
11. 146652
1. Θεός
2. theos
3. god
4. -
5. 23160
6. N····NMS
7. god
8. God
9. GN
10. Y60; Person=God
11. 146653
1. ἀπείραστος
2. apeirastos
3. untemptable
4. -
5. 5510
6. S····NMS
7. untemptable
8. untemptable
9. -
10. Y60
11. 146654
1. ἐστίν
2. eimi
3. is
4. -
5. 15100
6. VIPA3··S
7. is
8. is
9. -
10. Y60
11. 146655
1. κακῶν
2. kakos
3. by evil
4. evil
5. 25560
6. S····GNP
7. ˱by˲ evil
8. ˱by˲ evil
9. -
10. Y60
11. 146656
1. πειράζει
2. peirazō
3. is tempting
4. -
5. 39850
6. VIPA3··S
7. ˓is˒ tempting
8. ˓is˒ tempting
9. -
10. Y60
11. 146657
1. δέ
2. de
3. and
4. and
5. 11610
6. C·······
7. and
8. and
9. -
10. Y60
11. 146658
1. αὐτός
2. autos
3. he
4. -
5. 8460
6. R···3NMS
7. he
8. he
9. -
10. Y60
11. 146659
1. οὐδένα
2. oudeis
3. no one
4. -
5. 37620
6. R····AMS
7. no_one
8. no_one
9. -
10. Y60
11. 146660

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 1:12–18: God does not tempt people to do evil

This section has an opening verse (1:12)Some commentators connect 1:12 to 1:2–11 (Hiebert, for example). Others see 1:12 as a kind of “hinge” that connects 1:2–11 to 1:12–18 (Moo (2000), pages 71–72; McCartney, page 100). They recognize that 1:2–3 and 1:12 form an inclusio, or verbal bracket to 1:2–12 through the repetition in both of three key words: trials (πειρασμοῖς/πειρασμόν), testing (δοκίμιον/δόκιμος), and endurance (ὑπομονήν/ὑπομένει). and two main paragraphs (1:13–15 and 1:16–18). In 1:12 James recalled 1:2–3 and that it was important to persevere in times of trial and temptation. The next paragraph, 1:13–15, points out that it is not God who tempts us but our own sinful desires, which eventually lead to death. Paragraph 1:16–18 reinforces this by saying that God gives only good gifts.

Some other possible headings for this section are:

Christians should endure testing and temptations

Trials and temptations

Paragraph 1:13–15

In this paragraph, James taught that God does not tempt people. Our own sinful desires in our hearts and minds tempt us.

1:13a

When tempted,

¶ When someone is tempted,
¶ When/If temptation happens to someone,
¶ If something causes you^(plur) to want/desire to do evil,

When tempted: The Greek word that the BSB translates as tempted refers to being “encouraged/enticed to do something wrong.” Some ways to translate this word are:

caused to desire to do what is wrong

persuaded to do evil

encouraged/urged to sin

Notice that there is a difference between being tempted to do something wrong and actually doing it.

Here the word tempted is a passive verb. There are at least two ways to translate it:

Use a passive verb. For example:
When people are tempted (NCV)
Use another type of verb. For example:
When you experience/undergo temptation
When you desire to do evil

This Greek word is related to the word translated as “trial” in 1:2b and 1:12a. It has a wide range of meanings in Greek. It can mean:

“tested” to cause a person to trust God more.
“tempted” to do evil. This is its meaning in 1:13.

The context indicates which meaning is intended.

In some languages, it is necessary to use a different word here than in 1:2b and 1:12a. This is true in English. In other languages, there may be one term which fits both testing/trials and temptations. This is true in Greek. In such a case, it may be necessary to add a phrase that indicates the purpose of the testing/trial. For example:

When we are tested to make us do evil

When we experience trials/difficulties which might cause us to sin

1:13b

no one should say,

he should not say,
that person should not say that
do^(plur) not say that

1:13c

“God is tempting me.”

“It is God who is tempting me.”
God is the one tempting/enticing him to do wrong/evil.
God is causing you^(plur) to want/desire to do evil.

“God is tempting me.”: The Greek clause that the BSB translates as God is tempting me is literally “I am being tempted from God.” The verb is passive. Some ways to translate this clause are:

General Comment on 1:13c

Use a passive verb. For example:
I am tempted by God (RSV)
Use an active verb. For example:
God is tempting me (NLT)

In some languages, it may be more natural to use indirect speech here. For example:

No one should say that God is tempting him.

1:13d

For God cannot be tempted by evil,

For God is never tempted to do wrong,
Because evil can never tempt God,
God never wants/desires to do anything wrong/sinful,

For: The Greek conjunction that the BSB translates as For introduces the basis for James’ command in 1:13a–b. No one should say, “God is tempting me” (1:13a–b), because God cannot be tempted by evil… (1:13d–1:15). The basis for the command continues to the end of 1:15.

God cannot be tempted by evil: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as cannot be tempted by evil means that God never feels the desire to do anything wrong. He never wants to sin. So though someone might try to tempt him, he will never do what is wrong.

There are at least two ways to translate this phrase:

Use a passive verb. For example:
God is never tempted to do wrong (NLT)
Use an active verb. For example:
Evil cannot tempt God (NCV)
God never wants to do anything wrong

by evil: The word evil in this context refers to moral evil. It refers to acts and thoughts that are morally harmful and damage a person’s spiritual life. God will never desire to do anything that is wrong, sinful, or against his holy character and nature.

Some other ways to translate this word are:

wrong

sinful

1:13e

nor does He tempt anyone.

nor does God tempt anyone.
and God does not tempt/entice anyone to do wrong.
and he never causes anyone to want/desire to do evil.

nor does He tempt anyone: The clause nor does He tempt anyone means that God does not encourage anyone to do something wrong. He never urges anyone to sin.

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

and he doesn’t use evil to tempt others (CEV)

and he does not try to make people want to do wrong

General Comment on 1:13a–e

In some languages, it is more natural to change the order of 1:13d and 1:13e. For example:

^13aWhen tempted, ^13bno one should say, ^13c“God is tempting me.” ^13eFor God does not tempt anyone, ^13dnor can he be tempted by evil.

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

ἀπὸ Θεοῦ πειράζομαι

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Μηδείς πειραζόμενος λεγέτω ὅτι Ἀπό Θεοῦ πειράζομαι ὁ Γάρ Θεός ἀπείραστος ἐστίν κακῶν πειράζει δέ αὐτός οὐδένα)

If your language does not use this passive form, you can express this with an active form. Alternate translation: [God is tempting me] or [God is leading me to do something wrong]

ὁ & Θεὸς ἀπείραστός ἐστιν κακῶν

¬the & (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Μηδείς πειραζόμενος λεγέτω ὅτι Ἀπό Θεοῦ πειράζομαι ὁ Γάρ Θεός ἀπείραστος ἐστίν κακῶν πειράζει δέ αὐτός οὐδένα)

Even though the word that ULT translates as untempted is an adjective, not a passive verbal form, it may be helpful to your readers if you translate it with an active verbal form. Alternate translation: [evil does not tempt God] or [God’s desires never lead him to do something wrong]

πειράζει δὲ αὐτὸς οὐδένα

˓is˒_tempting (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Μηδείς πειραζόμενος λεγέτω ὅτι Ἀπό Θεοῦ πειράζομαι ὁ Γάρ Θεός ἀπείραστος ἐστίν κακῶν πειράζει δέ αὐτός οὐδένα)

Alternate translation: [and God himself never leads anyone to do anything wrong]

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.

Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.

OET interlinear YAC (JAM) 1:13

SR Greek word order (including unused variant words in grey)