YAC 2:8 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. PS
10. Y60
11. 147041
1. μέντοι
2. mentoi
3. however
4. -
5. 33050
6. C·······
7. however
8. however
9. -
10. Y60
11. 147042
1. νόμον
2. nomos
3. +the law
4. -
5. 35510
6. N····AMS
7. ˓the˒ law
8. ˓the˒ law
9. -
10. Y60
11. 147043
1. τελεῖτε
2. teleō
3. you all are accomplishing
4. -
5. 50550
6. VIPA2··P
7. ˱you_all˲ ˓are˒ accomplishing
8. ˱you_all˲ ˓are˒ accomplishing
9. -
10. Y60; R146985
11. 147044
1. βασιλικόν
2. basilikos
3. royal
4. -
5. 9370
6. S····AMS
7. royal
8. royal
9. -
10. Y60
11. 147045
1. τελεῖτε
2. teleō
3. -
4. -
5. 50550
6. VIPA2··P
7. ˱you_all˲ ˓are˒ accomplishing
8. ˱you_all˲ ˓are˒ accomplishing
9. -
10. -
11. 147046
1. κατά
2. kata
3. according to
4. according
5. 25960
6. P·······
7. according_to
8. according_to
9. -
10. Y60
11. 147047
1. τήν
2. ho
3. the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····AFS
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y60
11. 147048
1. Γραφήν
2. grafē
3. scripture
4. scriptures
5. 11240
6. N····AFS
7. scripture
8. Scripture
9. W
10. Y60
11. 147049
1. Ἀγαπήσεις
2. agapaō
3. You will be loving
4. -
5. 250
6. VIFA2··S
7. ˱you˲ ˓will_be˒ loving
8. ˱you˲ ˓will_be˒ loving
9. B
10. Y60
11. 147050
1. τόν
2. ho
3. the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····AMS
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y60
11. 147051
1. πλησίον
2. plēsios
3. neighbour
4. neighbour
5. 41395
6. S····AMS
7. neighbour
8. neighbor
9. -
10. Y60
11. 147052
1. σοῦ
2. su
3. of you
4. your
5. 47710
6. R···2G·S
7. ˱of˲ you
8. ˱of˲ you
9. -
10. Y60
11. 147053
1. ὡς
2. hōs
3. as
4. -
5. 56130
6. C·······
7. as
8. as
9. -
10. Y60
11. 147054
1. σεαυτόν
2. seautou
3. yourself
4. yourself
5. 45720
6. R···2AMS
7. yourself
8. yourself
9. -
10. Y60
11. 147055
1. Ἀγαπήσεις
2. agapaō
3. -
4. -
5. 250
6. VIFA2··S
7. ˱you˲ ˓will_be˒ loving
8. ˱you˲ ˓will_be˒ loving
9. B
10. -
11. 147056
1. τόν
2. ho
3. -
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····AMS
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. -
11. 147057
1. πλησίον
2. plēsios
3. -
4. -
5. 41395
6. S····AMS
7. neighbour
8. neighbor
9. -
10. -
11. 147058
1. σοῦ
2. su
3. -
4. -
5. 47710
6. R···2G·S
7. ˱of˲ you
8. ˱of˲ you
9. -
10. -
11. 147059
1. καλῶς
2. kalōs
3. well
4. -
5. 25730
6. D·······
7. well
8. well
9. -
10. Y60
11. 147060
1. ποιεῖτε
2. poieō
3. you all are doing
4. doing
5. 41600
6. VIPA2··P
7. ˱you_all˲ ˓are˒ doing
8. ˱you_all˲ ˓are˒ doing
9. -
10. Y60; R146985
11. 147061

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 2:1–13: Believers must avoid favoritism

The theme of this section is that Christians should not treat rich people better than poor people. They should treat everyone with kindness. This is one of the marks of a truly godly person.

Some other possible headings for this section are:

Show mercy and honor to poor people and thereby fulfill the royal law of love

Obey the law of love by treating poor people with mercy and honor

Do not discriminate against poor people

Paragraph 2:8–11

This paragraph indicates that showing favor to rich people is breaking God’s law. God told us to love everyone as we love ourselves. If we do not treat poor people as well as we treat rich people, we are not loving poor people. So we are not loving everyone as we love ourselves. As a result, we break God’s law.

2:8a

If you really fulfill the royal law

¶ If you^(plur) obey the law of God the king
¶ If you^(plur) follow the commands of God our^(incl) king,

If you really fulfill the royal law: There are at least three ways to interpret the Greek conjunction that the BSB translates as really:

It indicates a contrast with 2:9. It means “^2:8if, on the one hand, you keep the royal law…. ^2:9But if, on the other hand, you show favoritism….”This understands μεντοι … δε to function in a similar way to μεν … δε. Some versions show this contrast only at the beginning of 2:9. For example, the GNT says:
^8dYou will be doing the right thing ^8aif you obey the law of the Kingdom,…^9aBut if you… (KJV, GNT, CEV, JBP, NCVIt is not certain that these versions are following this interpretation. But since μεν is often left untranslated in a μεν … δε construction, it is possible that these versions are interpreting (and translating) μεντοι … δε in a similar way to μεν … δε.)
It indicates that something is true, and it indicates it with emphasis. It can be translated as “really,” “truly,” or “in fact.” (BSB, RSV, NIV, ESV, NLT)
It indicates a contrast with what comes before. In this context, it contrasts with showing partiality against poor people as described in 2:1–7 and explicitly noted in 2:6a, “you have insulted the poor.” It can be translated as “but” or “however.” For example, the NASB says:
If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law… (NASB, REB, NET)

In the case of interpretations (2) and (3), some scholars also think that this conjunction indicates some irony. In other words, James implies that people are not really keeping the royal law.See, for example: Davids (1982), page 114; McCartney, pages 147–148; Tasker, page 60.

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). It is certain that the conjunction shows contrast with 2:9. It may also show contrast with what goes before or emphasize the truth of the statement (or show irony), but this is less certain. And these should be clear from the context with or without a conjunction.

In most languages, it will be enough to mark the contrast at the beginning of 2:9. So it may not be necessary to translate the conjunction here. Or you may have a way to show that a pair of things are being contrasted. For example:

on the one hand,…on the other hand

fulfill: The Greek word that the BSB translates as fulfill means “obey.” Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

If you obey the royal law

If you do what God said in the royal law

the royal law: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as the royal law is literally “kingly law.” This law comes from a king and is the law of the kingdom. Here the king is God.

This phrase refers to the whole of God’s law, and it consists of many commands. It does not refer specifically to the command that follows (“Love your neighbor as yourself”) though that is one very important command within God’s law.

Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

the law of the Kingdom (GNT)

the law of God the/our King

law from the highest authority (GW)

2:8b

stated in Scripture,

that is written in Scripture:
in particular the one in his written word that says

stated in Scripture: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as stated in Scripture is literally “according to the Scripture” (as in the RSV). The royal law is written in the Scripture.

Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

in the Scripture

written in Scripture

as God said in the Scripture

by keeping in particular God’s command which says

Scripture: The Greek word that the BSB translates as Scripture is used in a special way in the New Testament. It refers to words that God directed someone to write. Such writings had authority because God guided a person to write them. In the New Testament the word Scripture almost always refers to something that was written in the Old Testament. Here it refers to the verse which follows, quoted from Leviticus 19:18.

Some other ways to translate Scripture are:

God’s written words

this word of God that someone/Moses wrote

God’s written command

2:8c

“Love your neighbor as yourself,”

“Love your^(sing) neighbor as you love yourself,”
that people should love their fellow human beings as well as they love themselves,

Love your neighbor as yourself: In Greek, the word Love is singular. The word neighbor is also singular. However, this command was intended for everyone. It was also intended to command us to love all our neighbors, not just one. In many languages, it will be more natural to use plurals here. For example:

Love^(sing) your neighbors as yourself

Love^(plur) your neighbors as you^(plur) love yourselves

People should love their neighbors as they love themselves

This command also occurs in Matthew 19:19; Mark 12:31; Luke 10:27; and Romans 13:9. You should translate it here as you did in these other passages.

Love: In this context, Love refers to seeking the well-being of others. It does not refer to having warm feelings towards them. It also does not refer to romantic love.

Some other ways to translate this are:

Do what is best for

Act lovingly toward

Do good things that show you care for

neighbor: The Greek word that the BSB translates as neighbor literally refers to someone who lives nearby. It also refers to someone of the same social group or someone who speaks the same language. It can also refer to anyone you interact with.

Some other ways to translate this word are:

person who is near you

fellow human being

people you interact with

General Comment on 2:8a–d

In some languages, it is more natural to change the order of 2:8a–d. For example:

^8bIn Scripture, ^8athe royal law is/says, ^8c“Love your neighbor as yourself.” ^8aIf you really keep this law, ^8dyou do well.

^8bThe Scripture says, ^8c“Love your neighbor as yourself.” ^8aThis is the royal law. If you keep this law, ^8dyou do well.

2:8d

you are doing well.

you^(plur) do well.
you^(plur) are doing what you should do.

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-contrast

εἰ μέντοι

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Εἰ μέντοι νόμον τελεῖτε βασιλικόν κατά τήν Γραφήν Ἀγαπήσεις τόν πλησίον σοῦ ὡς σεαυτόν καλῶς ποιεῖτε)

James is using these words to introduce a contrast with what he said in [2:6](../02/06.md), “you have dishonored the poor,” meaning “you have treated rich people much better than you have treated poor people.” Alternate translation: [But if, instead of favoring rich people]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

νόμον & βασιλικὸν

˓the˒_law & (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Εἰ μέντοι νόμον τελεῖτε βασιλικόν κατά τήν Γραφήν Ἀγαπήσεις τόν πλησίον σοῦ ὡς σεαυτόν καλῶς ποιεῖτε)

There are two possible reasons for why James describes the law that he quotes here from [Leviticus 19:18](../lev/19/18.md) as royal. (1) When Jesus came proclaiming the kingdom of God, he said that this law was one of two that summed up all of the other laws and guided life in the kingdom of God. (The other law was to love God with all of one’s heart, soul, mind, and strength.) Alternate translation: [the law that guides life in the kingdom of God] (2) James may say that this law is royal because God, the true king, gave it to people. Alternate translation: [God’s law]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / declarative

ἀγαπήσεις τὸν πλησίον σου ὡς σεαυτόν

Here the law of Moses is using a future statement to give a command. Alternate translation: [You are to love your neighbor as you love yourself]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / youcrowd

ἀγαπήσεις τὸν πλησίον σου ὡς σεαυτόν

The words You, your, and yourself are singular in this quotation because, even though Moses gave this law to the Israelites as a group, each individual person was expected to obey it. So in your translation, use the singular forms of “You,” “your,” and “yourself” if your language marks that distinction.

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

τὸν πλησίον σου

This is an idiom. It does not mean only someone who lives nearby. Alternate translation: [other people] or [anyone you encounter]

καλῶς ποιεῖτε

well ˱you_all˲_˓are˒_doing

Alternate translation: [you are doing what God wants you to do]

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) 2:8

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