OET interlinear YAC (JAM) 2:4

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / hypo

οὐ διεκρίθητε ἐν ἑαυτοῖς, καὶ ἐγένεσθε κριταὶ διαλογισμῶν πονηρῶν?

not ˱you_all˲_/were/_distinguished among yourselves and became judges ˱with˲_speculations evil

In this verse James describes the result of the hypothetical situation he has been describing since 2:2. It may be helpful to begin a new sentence here. Alternate translation: “Then you have distinguished among yourselves and become judges of evil thoughts.”

Note 2 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

οὐ διεκρίθητε ἐν ἑαυτοῖς, καὶ ἐγένεσθε κριταὶ διαλογισμῶν πονηρῶν

not ˱you_all˲_/were/_distinguished among yourselves and became judges ˱with˲_speculations evil

If it would be helpful in your language, you could reverse the order of these phrases, since the second phrase gives the reason for the result that the first phrase describes. Alternate translation: “have you not become judges who think evil things and so begun to consider some people better than others”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

οὐ διεκρίθητε ἐν ἑαυτοῖς, καὶ ἐγένεσθε κριταὶ διαλογισμῶν πονηρῶν?

not ˱you_all˲_/were/_distinguished among yourselves and became judges ˱with˲_speculations evil

As James describes this result, he uses the question form for emphasis. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this question by translating his words as a statement or an exclamation. Alternate translation: “you have considered some people better than others, because you have become judges who think evil things!”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

ἐγένεσθε κριταὶ διαλογισμῶν πονηρῶν

became judges ˱with˲_speculations evil

James is using the possessive form to describe judges who are characterized by evil thoughts. He is not speaking of people who judge whether thoughts are evil. Alternate translation: “become judges who think evil things”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ἐγένεσθε κριταὶ διαλογισμῶν πονηρῶν

became judges ˱with˲_speculations evil

James is describing something more than passively assuming a certain role and thinking in a certain way. He is describing taking action based on that way of thinking. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state that explicitly. Alternate translation: “made wrong judgments about how people should be treated and then treated them that way”