YAC 1:5 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. εἰ
2. ei
3. if
4. -
5. 14870
6. C·······
7. if
8. if
9. -
10. Y60
11. 146506
1. Δέ
2. de
3. But
4. -
5. 11610
6. C·······
7. but
8. but
9. PS
10. Y60
11. 146507
1. τὶς
2. tis
3. anyone
4. anyone
5. 51000
6. R····NMS
7. anyone
8. anyone
9. -
10. Y60
11. 146508
1. ὑμῶν
2. su
3. of you all
4. -
5. 47710
6. R···2G·P
7. ˱of˲ you_all
8. ˱of˲ you_all
9. -
10. Y60; R146476
11. 146509
1. λείπεται
2. leipō
3. is lacking
4. lacking
5. 30070
6. VIPM3··S
7. ˓is˒ lacking
8. ˓is˒ lacking
9. -
10. Y60
11. 146510
1. σοφίας
2. sofia
3. of wisdom
4. wisdom
5. 46780
6. N····GFS
7. ˱of˲ wisdom
8. ˱of˲ wisdom
9. -
10. Y60; F146526
11. 146511
1. αἰτείτω
2. aiteō
3. him let be requesting
4. should requested
5. 1540
6. VMPA3··S
7. ˱him˲ ˓let_be˒ requesting
8. ˱him˲ ˓let_be˒ requesting
9. -
10. Y60
11. 146512
1. παρά
2. para
3. from
4. -
5. 38440
6. P·······
7. from
8. from
9. -
10. Y60
11. 146513
1. τοῦ
2. ho
3. -
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····GMS
7. ¬the
8. ¬the
9. -
10. -
11. 146514
1. Θεοῦ
2. theos
3. -
4. -
5. 23160
6. N····GMS
7. god
8. God
9. GN
10. Person=God
11. 146515
1. τοῦ
2. ho
3. the one
4. -
5. 35880
6. R····GMS
7. the ‹one›
8. the ‹one›
9. -
10. Y60
11. 146516
1. διδόντος
2. didōmi
3. giving
4. -
5. 13250
6. VPPA·GMS
7. giving
8. giving
9. -
10. Y60
11. 146517
1. Θεοῦ
2. theos
3. god
4. God
5. 23160
6. N····GMS
7. god
8. God
9. GN
10. Y60; Person=God
11. 146518
1. πᾶσιν
2. pas
3. to all
4. -
5. 39560
6. S····DMP
7. ˱to˲ all
8. ˱to˲ all
9. -
10. Y60
11. 146519
1. ἁπλῶς
2. haplōs
3. generously
4. generously
5. 5740
6. D·······
7. generously
8. generously
9. -
10. Y60
11. 146520
1. καί
2. kai
3. and
4. -
5. 25320
6. C·······
7. and
8. and
9. -
10. Y60
11. 146521
1. οὐκ
2. ou
3. -
4. -
5. 37560
6. D·······
7. not
8. not
9. -
10. -
11. 146522
1. μή
2. mē
3. not
4. -
5. 33610
6. D·······
7. not
8. not
9. -
10. Y60
11. 146523
1. ὀνειδίζοντος
2. oneidizō
3. deriding
4. -
5. 36790
6. VPPA·GMS
7. deriding
8. deriding
9. -
10. Y60
11. 146524
1. καί
2. kai
3. and
4. -
5. 25320
6. C·······
7. and
8. and
9. -
10. Y60
11. 146525
1. δοθήσεται
2. didōmi
3. it will be being given
4. given
5. 13250
6. VIFP3··S
7. ˱it˲ ˓will_be_being˒ given
8. ˱it˲ ˓will_be_being˒ given
9. -
10. Y60; R146511
11. 146526
1. αὐτῷ
2. autos
3. to him
4. -
5. 8460
6. R···3DMS
7. ˱to˲ him
8. ˱to˲ him
9. -
10. Y60
11. 146527

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 1:2–11: James encouraged believers to continue to trust God during times of testing

The theme of this section is that it is important for Christians to continue to trust God when going through various kinds of trials or difficulties. These trials are a test of their faith (1:2–4). They need God’s wisdom in order to remain faithful to him, and so they should pray for wisdom (1:5). When they come to God in prayer, they should have an attitude of firm trust in him (1:6–8). Both poverty and wealth test a Christian. They should trust God whether rich or poor and learn to think about poverty and wealth as God does (1:9–11).

Some other possible headings for this section are:

Have faith and wisdom

When you have trials/tests, you must trust God

Be joyful when your faith is tested

Paragraph 1:5–8

In this paragraph, James encouraged his readers to ask God to make them wise. They needed wisdom from God to know what to do while experiencing trials that test their faith. God will answer this prayer if they fully trust God when they pray. But if they do not fully trust him or if they have divided loyalty, God will not answer their prayers.

1:5a

Now if any of you lacks wisdom,

¶ If any of you^(plur) does not have wisdom,
¶ Anyone who is not wise

Now if any of you lacks wisdom: This clause is in the form of an “if” statement, but James was not wondering if anyone lacked wisdom. He knew that all his readers needed wisdom in order to be successful in enduring trials (1:2).

If a literal translation of if would make your readers think that James did not know if anyone needed wisdom, you could say:

Those of you who need wisdom

He who does not have wisdom

lacks: The word lacks here indicates that a person does not have wisdom or does not have enough wisdom. He also realizes that he does not have it.

Some other ways to translate this word are:

do not have

need (CEV)

wisdom: The Greek word that the BSB translates as wisdom refers to understanding what is right and good, and doing it. A person who has wisdom is one who chooses to behave the way God wants. He acts wisely. When he is tempted to behave in the wrong way, he resists.

In some languages, it may be necessary to translate this word as an adjective. For example:

If any of you is not wise enough

If any of you needs to become a wiser person

If any of you needs understanding to do what is right and good

1:5b

he should ask God,

you^(plur) should ask God to give you some.
should ask God to make him wise, and God will help/teach him.

he should ask God: The Greek verb that the BSB translates as he should ask is a command addressed to the person who needs wisdom. In order to obtain wisdom, a person must ask for it.

Some other ways to translate this verb are:

let him ask God (RSV)

must ask God (NJB)

he: The pronoun he refers to any person who lacks wisdom. This is the person whom James referred to in 1:5a. Depending on how you have translated 1:5a, it may be necessary to use the pronoun “you” “we^(incl)” or “they” rather than “he.” For example:

you should ask God (CEV)

they should ask God

we ^(incl) should request God

1:5c

who gives generously to all without finding fault,

God gives abundantly to everyone without blaming them.
For God is generous. He gives what we^(incl) need to anyone asking for it. He does not criticize/reproach anyone for asking.

There are several ways to connect 1:5c to the rest of 1:5. See the General Comment on 1:5a–d at the end of 1:5d for some examples.

who gives generously to all without finding fault: This clauseThe NIV and other English versions translate this Greek participial phrase as a descriptive (or non-restrictive) relative clause. describes the character of God. He generously gives good gifts to people, and he does not criticize them for asking. James said this to encourage people to ask for wisdom.

In some languages, it will be natural to begin a new sentence here. For example:

For God gives generously to all without finding fault.

It may be natural to begin a new sentence here because:

1:5a–d is a long sentence in both the Greek and the BSB, and it may be natural in your language to divide it into several shorter sentences.
a clause beginning with the word “who” might imply that one God gives generously and another God does not give generously.

gives generously: The Greek word that the BSB translates as generously means that God gives “without hesitation,” “freely,” and “unconditionally.”

Some other ways to translate this word are:

gives without reserve

gives bountifully

If your language needs to say what God gives, you can say:

generously gives good things

abundantly gives what we need

to all: The word all here refers to all people.

without finding fault: The phrase that the BSB translates as without finding fault means “does not criticize, reproach, or blame.” God does not criticize those who ask him for wisdom, because he is pleased that they have come to him for help.

Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

without scolding (NJB)

He will not resent your asking. (NLT96)

won’t correct you for asking (CEV)

He will not reprimand/criticize you when you ask

1:5d

and it will be given to him.

So if you^(plur) ask for wisdom, it will be given to you.
(1:5d was placed above at the end of the second meaning line in 1:5b)

it will be given to him: The word it refers to wisdom. The verb will be given is passive. God is the one who gives wisdom. So there are at least two ways to translate this phrase:

Use a passive verb. For example:
wisdom will be given/granted him
Use an active verb. For example:
he will give you wisdom (NCV)
God will cause him to become wise.

In some languages, “wisdom” is not something that “is given.” Some other ways to translate the word given are:

God will teach him to be wise

God will help him to be wise

General Comment on 1:5a–d

One of the challenges in translating 1:5 is to decide how to connect the “who” clause in 1:5c to the rest of the verse. Some possibilities are:

Follow the Greek order, but begin a new sentence. For example:
^5aNow if any of you lacks wisdom, ^5bhe should ask God for it. ^5cGod gives generously to all without finding fault. ^5dSo if he asks for wisdom it will be given to him.
Put 1:5c first. For example:
^5cGod gives generously to all without finding fault. ^5aSo, if you lack wisdom, ^5byou should ask God for some, ^5dand he will give it to you.
Put 1:5c last. For example:
^5aIf any of you need wisdom, ^5byou should ask God, ^5dand it will be given to you. ^5cGod is generous and won’t correct you for asking. (CEV)

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) 1:5

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