OET interlinear YAC (JAM) 1:25

1:25

In Greek and the BSB, 1:25 is one long sentence. This sentence has many clauses, and some clauses repeat information. In some languages, it will not be natural to follow the BSB order and structure. For some ways to reorder this verse, see the General Comment on 1:25a–e at the end of 1:25e.

1:25a

But: The Greek conjunction that the BSB translates as But indicates a contrast. The contrast is between the person who only hears the word (1:23–24) and the person who hears the word and does it (1:25).

the one who: The Greek expression that the BSB translates as the one who is in a general statement that applies to anyone. In some languages, it may be more natural to use a pronoun or a plural in such a statement. For example:

the person who (GW)

the one who (NET)

those who (NCV)

if you (GNT)

looks intently: The Greek verb that the BSB translates as looks intently literally means “look/peer into.” Here it is used figuratively and means “investigate carefully.”Some authorities (including F. Field, page 236, and F. J. A. Hort) think the component of carefulness is not present in the meaning of the verb. It seems, however, that examples can be quoted on both sides. In other words, the context shows whether carefulness is implied or not. It refers to determining what God’s word says by listening to someone else read it, asking questions, or reading it oneself.

Some other ways to translate this verb are:

thoroughly examines

carefully study (NCV)

carefully thinks about

listens very well

the perfect law: The phrase the perfect law refers to all the commandments in God’s word. It refers to the set of instructions and commands that God gave his people to live by. They are perfect. It does not just refer to the Ten Commandments or other laws in the Old Testament. It also includes Jesus’ teachings.

Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

God’s perfect law (NCV)

God’s perfect teachings (GW)

God’s perfect rules

perfect: The word perfect means that God’s law is completely good. It has no unrighteous commands.

This same word occurs in 1:17a with similar meaning.

of freedom: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as of freedom describes what the perfect law does for people who obey it. It frees them from sin.This interpretation is explicitly supported by the NIV, GNT, REB, and Huther, page 89. However, since the Greek literally just says, “the law of liberty,” some commentators interpret the phrase as “the law that a person obeys freely.” See Mayor, page 70; Mitton, pages 72–73. But the interpretation that the law sets a person free fits well with the teaching of the Psalms (see Psalm 119:32, “I will run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free,” and 119:45 “I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts”) and other Jewish literature (for example, “you find no free man except him who occupies himself with the study of Torah,” Aboth 6:2b, cited in Martin, page 51). In some languages it may be necessary to translate freedom as a verb. For example:

that makes us free (REB)

that sets you free (CEV)

In other languages, it may be necessary to provide an object. For example:

that frees people from sin

that frees people to do what God wants them to do

1:25b

and continues to do so: The Greek word that the BSB translates as continues to do so indicates that the person continues to carefully investigate the law of God.

In some languages, it may be possible to translate this word as part of 1:25a. For example:

But the man who continues to look intently into the perfect law

But if you keep looking steadily into God’s perfect law (NLT96)

1:25c–d

not being a forgetful hearer, but an effective doer: In Greek, this is literally “being not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work.” For example:

being no hearer that forgets but a doer that acts (RSV)

The words “hearer” and “doer” are the same words as in 1:22a and 1:22c. See the notes on 1:22a, 1:22c, and try to use the same expressions here that you did there.

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

and do not simply listen and then forget it, but put it into practice (GNT)

They do not forget what they heard, but they obey what God’s teaching says (NCV)

not neglecting to do what they heard that they should do but doing it

If it is more natural in your language to first say what a person does and then say what he does not do, then you may want to reverse the order of these clauses. For example the NLT says:

and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard

1:25c

not being a forgetful hearer: If you used a verb in 1:25a that means “look,” “read” or “study,” then it may not be natural to use the verb “heard” here. In such a case, you can say:

not forgetting what he read/studied

not forgetting what he saw in the law

not neglecting to do what he has learned

not forgetting what it says

Another way to translate this is to translate it without the negative. For example:

Remembering what he has heard

1:25d

but an effective doer: The clause effective doer refers to doing what the perfect law teaches. Some other ways to translate this clause are:

but doing what the law says/teaches

but keeping/obeying the law

1:25e

he will be blessed in what he does: The clause that the BSB translates as he will be blessed in what he does is literally “that one will be blessed in the doing of him/it.” The Greek pronoun can be translated as either “him” or “it.” As a result, there are two different ways to interpret the words “the doing of him/it”:

1. The pronoun should be interpreted as “it” and refers to the law. So the words “the doing of it” refer to doing/keeping the law. According to this interpretation, God will bless a person because he keeps the law. For example, the NLT says:

   But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says…, then God will bless you for doing it. (RSV, ESV, REB, JBP, NLT, NCV)NIV, NASB, KJV, and NET (which all say something similar to “will be blessed in what he does”) are somewhat ambiguous but the intended meaning may be “in what he does to keep/do the law.”

2. The pronoun should be interpreted as “him” and refers to the man in 1:25a. So the words “the doing of him” refer to the activities that the man does. According to this interpretation, God will bless the man in everything he does. For example, the NJB says:

   But anyone who looks steadily at the perfect law of freedom and keeps to it…will be blessed in every undertaking. (NJB, GNTThe GNT’s “you will be blessed by God in what you do” will probably be interpreted by most readers to mean “in whatever you do.” It is also possible to understand “in what you do” to refer to what was just said about putting the law into practice., CEV)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) because this is the most natural meaning of the phrase “the doing of it” in this context. These words refer to the same action as the words “doing it” in 1:25d. In other words, it means doing what the law says.

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

he will be blessed because he does/keeps the law

he will be blessed through/by doing it

Those who do this will be made happy (NCV)

In some languages, it may not be natural to translate the clause in what he does because it repeats information in 1:25d. If that is true in your language, you may leave this clause implicit. For example:

he will be blessed

will be blessed: The Greek word that the BSB translates as blessed means that the person is in a good position or situation. In other words, because he is doing what the law commands, all will be well with him. He will be blessed in the sense that God will think well of him.

Some other ways to translate this word are:

God will bless him

how good it will be for that kind of person

a person like that will be favored/fortunate

This does not mean that he will necessarily be comfortable or successful from a human point of view.

This same word occurs in 1:12. See bless, meaning 1, in the Glossary.