OET interlinear YAC (JAM) 1:27

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

θρησκεία καθαρὰ καὶ ἀμίαντος

religion pure and undefiled

James is speaking of religion as if it could be physically Pure and undefiled. Alternate translation: “Religion that is pleasing and acceptable”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / doublet

θρησκεία καθαρὰ καὶ ἀμίαντος

religion pure and undefiled

The terms Pure and undefiled mean similar things. They both indicate that something is free of contamination. James is using these terms together for emphasis. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could combine them into a single phrase. Alternate translation: “Religion that is completely acceptable”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

παρὰ τῷ Θεῷ

before our God

The word before means “in front of” or “in the presence of” another person, and in this case before him indicates “where God can see.” Seeing, for its part, represents attention and judgment. Alternate translation: “from God’s perspective”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / hendiadys

τῷ Θεῷ καὶ Πατρί

our God and (Some words not found in SR-GNT: 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)

James is not talking about two different people. He is expressing a single idea by using two nouns connected with and. The noun Father further identifies God. Alternate translation: “God the Father”

Note 5 topic: guidelines-sonofgodprinciples

Πατρί

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: 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)

Father is an important title for God.

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

ἐπισκέπτεσθαι ὀρφανοὺς καὶ χήρας ἐν τῇ θλίψει αὐτῶν

/to_be/_visiting orphans and widows in the tribulation ˱of˲_them

Here, look upon is an idiom that means “show concern for” or “help compassionately.” Alternate translation: “to help orphans and widows in their distress”

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ἐπισκέπτεσθαι ὀρφανοὺς καὶ χήρας ἐν τῇ θλίψει αὐτῶν

/to_be/_visiting orphans and widows in the tribulation ˱of˲_them

James assumes that his readers will know that orphans and widows are in practical and financial distress because their fathers or husbands have died and so are no longer providing for them. In this culture, women and children were dependent on male relatives for support. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate explicitly what kind of distress James wants his readers to help relieve. Alternate translation: “to help poor orphans and widows with their practical needs”

ἄσπιλον ἑαυτὸν τηρεῖν ἀπὸ τοῦ κόσμου

spotless himself /to_be/_keeping from the world

This is not a purpose or result clause. James is not telling his readers that they should help orphans and widows in order to stay unstained by the world or that this would be the result if they did help them. Rather, James is saying that this is a second thing that characterizes religion that pleases God. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could add the word “and” before this clause in order to clarify this.

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

ἄσπιλον ἑαυτὸν τηρεῖν ἀπὸ τοῦ κόσμου

spotless himself /to_be/_keeping from the world

James is using the term world to mean the system of values shared by people who do not honor God, by association with the way those people live in the world. Alternate translation: “to keep oneself unstained by the value system of ungodly people”

Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ἄσπιλον ἑαυτὸν τηρεῖν ἀπὸ τοῦ κόσμου

spotless himself /to_be/_keeping from the world

James is speaking of the influence of ungodly people as if it could physically stain a person. By unstained he actually means free from sin. Alternate translation: “not to allow ungodly people and their influence to cause oneself to sin”