Open Bible Data Home About News OET Key
OET OET-RV OET-LV ULT UST BSB MSB BLB AICNT OEB WEBBE WMBB NET LSV FBV TCNT T4T LEB BBE Moff JPS Wymth ASV DRA YLT Drby RV SLT Wbstr KJB-1769 KJB-1611 Bshps Gnva Cvdl TNT Wycl SR-GNT UHB BrLXX BrTr Related Topics Parallel Interlinear Reference Dictionary Search
InterlinearVerse GEN EXO LEV NUM DEU JOB JOS JDG RUTH 1 SAM 2 SAM PSA AMOS HOS 1 KI 2 KI 1 CHR 2 CHR PROV ECC SNG JOEL MIC ISA ZEP HAB JER LAM YNA (JNA) NAH OBA DAN EZE EZRA EST NEH HAG ZEC MAL LAO GES LES ESG DNG 2 PS TOB JDT WIS SIR BAR LJE PAZ SUS BEL MAN 1 MAC 2 MAC 3 MAC 4 MAC YHN (JHN) MARK MAT LUKE ACTs YAC GAL 1 TH 2 TH 1 COR 2 COR ROM COL PHM EPH PHP 1 TIM TIT 1 PET 2 PET 2 TIM HEB YUD (JUD) 1 YHN (1 JHN) 2 YHN (2 JHN) 3 YHN (3 JHN) REV
Yac 1 V1 V2 V3 V4 V5 V6 V8 V9 V10 V11 V12 V13 V14 V15 V16 V17 V18 V19 V20 V21 V22 V23 V24 V25 V26 V27
OET (OET-LV) For/Because not let_be_supposing the person that that he_will_be_receiving anything from the master,
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
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.
Some English versions (RSV, GNT, CEV, and NCV) combine 1:7–8. Other English versions follow the Greek more closely and separate the two verses. Compare the two models below.
7aThat man should not think 7bhe will receive anything from the Lord; 8ahe is a double-minded man, 8bunstable in all he does. (NIV)
7–8Such doubters are thinking two different things at the same time, and they cannot decide about anything they do. They should not think they will receive anything from the Lord. (NCV)
You should follow the model that is most natural in your language.
In Greek, 1:7 begins with a conjunction that the RSV translates as “For.” The BSB has left this conjunction implicit. This word introduces a further basis for James’ command in 1:6b that a person should ask in faith without wavering. In other words, when someone asks God for something, he must believe and not waver (1:6c):
because he who wavers is like a wave of the sea (1:6c)
and because that man (who wavers) should not think that he will receive anything from the Lord (1:7a–b).
You should begin this verse in a way that your language uses naturally to introduce an additional basis for a command.
That man should not expect
Such a person should not think
A person who wavers should not expect
That man: The phrase That man refers to a person who doubts. It does not refer to any specific person. The word man refers to a person of either gender, male or female. Some other ways to translate this phrase are:
that person (NET)
a person like that
should not expect: The Greek word that the BSB translates as expect means “regard something as probably true,” or “think, assume, presume.” So the phrase should not think means that a person “should not assume” that something is true.
Some other ways to translate this phrase are:
must not expect (NJB)
must not suppose (RSV)
to receive anything from the Lord.
that he will receive/get anything from the Lord God.
that the Highest Lord/Master God will give him anything.
to receive anything from the Lord: In some languages, it will be more natural to translate this clause by making the Lord the subject. For example:
the Lord will give him anything
the Lord: The Greek word that the BSB translates as Lord means “a master,” or “one who is in authority.” Here, the Lord refers to God the Father, since God is mentioned in 1:5b.Also, Jesus generally taught that prayers should be addressed to the Father in his name (John 15:16; also Matthew 6:8, Matthew 7:11, 18:19). An exception is found in John 14:13–14 where Jesus says he will do whatever his disciples ask in his name. In some translations, it may be necessary to make this explicit. For example:
he will receive anything from the Lord God
he will receive anything from God
See also the note on Lord at 1:1a and Lord in the Glossary for more translation advice on translating this word.
Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / gendernotations
μὴ γὰρ οἰέσθω ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐκεῖνος
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: μή Γάρ οἰέσθω ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐκεῖνος ὅτι λήμψεται τὶ παρά τοῦ Κυρίου)
James is using the term man in a generic sense that includes both men and women. Alternate translation: [Such a person should not think]
OET (OET-LV) For/Because not let_be_supposing the person that that he_will_be_receiving anything from the master,
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.