OET interlinear YAC (JAM) 1:18

uW Translation Notes:

βουληθεὶς, ἀπεκύησεν ἡμᾶς

/having_been/_wished_‹it› ˱he˲_brought_forth us

Alternate translation: “God chose to give birth to us”

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

βουληθεὶς, ἀπεκύησεν ἡμᾶς

/having_been/_wished_‹it› ˱he˲_brought_forth us

James says that God gave birth to us because God gives spiritual life to everyone who believes in Jesus. Alternate translation: “God chose to give us spiritual life”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / exclusive

ἡμᾶς & ἡμᾶς

us & us

Here and throughout this letter, James uses the pronoun us to refer to himself and his readers. Sometimes by extension he also means all believers or all people. In every case, therefore, the pronoun us is inclusive, so use the inclusive form if your language makes that distinction. The same applies to the pronoun “our.” However, in some cases the pronoun “we” is exclusive. Notes will identify those places. Everywhere else, the pronoun “we” is inclusive.

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

λόγῳ ἀληθείας

˱by˲_/the/_word ˱of˲_truth

James is using the possessive form to describe a word that is characterized by truth. Alternate translation: “by the true word”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

λόγῳ ἀληθείας

˱by˲_/the/_word ˱of˲_truth

James is using term word to describe the message about Jesus that was conveyed by using words. Alternate translation: “by the true message”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

λόγῳ ἀληθείας

˱by˲_/the/_word ˱of˲_truth

If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the abstract noun truth by translating the idea behind it with an equivalent expression that uses an adjective such as “true.” Alternate translation: “when we believed the true message”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

λόγῳ ἀληθείας

˱by˲_/the/_word ˱of˲_truth

James is referring implicitly to the message about Jesus. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state that explicitly. Alternate translation: “when we believed the true message about Jesus”

Note 7 topic: grammar-connect-logic-goal

εἰς τὸ εἶναι ἡμᾶς ἀπαρχήν τινα τῶν αὐτοῦ κτισμάτων

in_order that to_be us first-fruit /a/_certain ˱of˲_the ˱of˲_him creatures

This is a purpose clause. James is stating the purpose for which God desired to give us birth. In your translation, follow the conventions of your language for purpose clauses. Alternate translation (without a comma preceding): “so that we would be like a firstfruits of his creatures”

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ἀπαρχήν τινα τῶν αὐτοῦ κτισμάτων

first-fruit /a/_certain ˱of˲_the ˱of˲_him creatures

James is assuming that his readers will know that he is using the traditional Israelite offering known as firstfruits as a simile. The law of Moses required the Israelites to offer to God some of the first crops they harvested each year. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state specifically that this is the name of an offering. Alternate translation: “something like an offering of firstfruits from among his creatures”

Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / simile

ἀπαρχήν τινα τῶν αὐτοῦ κτισμάτων

first-fruit /a/_certain ˱of˲_the ˱of˲_him creatures

When they offered some of their first crops to God each year, the Israelites were acknowledging that the entire crop belonged to God and was a gift from God to them. James is using this firstfruits offering as a simile to indicate that the believers of his time are an indication that there will be many more people who will belong to God in the future. In fact, since James speaks of creatures, he may even mean that believers in Jesus are the first part of God’s creation to be freed from the curse and come back fully under his rule. Alternate translation: “the first of many people who would believe in Jesus” or “the first of God’s creatures to be freed from the curse and come back fully under his rule”