YAC 3:12 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. Μή
2. mē
3. Not
4. -
5. 33610
6. C·······
7. not
8. not
9. S
10. Y60
11. 147612
1. δύναται
2. dunamai
3. is able
4. -
5. 14100
6. VIPM3··S
7. ˓is˒ able
8. ˓is˒ able
9. -
10. Y60
11. 147613
1. ἀδελφοί
2. adelfos
3. brothers
4. brothers sisters
5. 800
6. N····VMP
7. brothers
8. brothers
9. -
10. Y60; F147638; F147655; F147663; F147666; F147668; F147739; F147745; F147751; F147755; F147756; F147758; F147761; F147762; F147763; F147765; F147768; F147774; F147775; F147778; F147781; F147787; F147789; F147854; F147858; F147865; F147871
11. 147614
1. μού
2. egō
3. of me
4. my
5. 14730
6. R···1G·S
7. ˱of˲ me
8. ˱of˲ me
9. -
10. Y60
11. 147615
1. συκῆ
2. sukē
3. +a fig tree
4. fig tree
5. 48080
6. N····NFS
7. ˓a˒ fig_tree
8. ˓a˒ fig_tree
9. -
10. Y60; F147619
11. 147616
1. ἐλέας
2. eleas
3. -
4. -
5. 16485
6. N····AMP
7. birds
8. birds
9. -
10. -
11. 147617
1. ἐλαίας
2. elaia
3. olives
4. olives
5. 16360
6. N····AFP
7. olives
8. olives
9. -
10. Y60
11. 147618
1. ποιῆσαι
2. poieō
3. to produce
4. -
5. 41600
6. VNAA····
7. ˓to˒ produce
8. ˓to˒ produce
9. -
10. Y60; R147616
11. 147619
1. ἤ
2. ē
3. or
4. -
5. 22280
6. C·······
7. or
8. or
9. -
10. Y60
11. 147620
1. ἄμπελος
2. ampelos
3. +a vine
4. vine
5. 2880
6. N····NFS
7. ˓a˒ vine
8. ˓a˒ vine
9. -
10. Y60
11. 147621
1. σῦκα
2. sukon
3. figs
4. figs
5. 48100
6. N····ANP
7. figs
8. figs
9. -
10. Y60
11. 147622
1. οὕτως
2. houtōs
3. -
4. -
5. 37790
6. D·······
7. thus
8. thus
9. -
10. -
11. 147623
1. Οὔτε
2. oute
3. Nor
4. -
5. 37770
6. C·······
7. nor
8. nor
9. S
10. Y60
11. 147624
1. οὐδέ
2. oude
3. -
4. -
5. 37610
6. C·······
7. nor
8. nor
9. -
10. -
11. 147625
1. οὐδεμία
2. oudeis
3. -
4. -
5. 37620
6. E····NFS
7. not_one
8. not_one
9. -
10. -
11. 147626
1. πηγή
2. pēgē
3. -
4. -
5. 40770
6. N····NFS
7. spring
8. spring
9. -
10. -
11. 147627
1. ἁλυκόν
2. halukos
3. salt
4. -
5. 2520
6. A····ANS
7. salt
8. salt
9. -
10. Y60
11. 147628
1. καί
2. kai
3. -
4. -
5. 25320
6. C·······
7. and
8. and
9. -
10. -
11. 147629
1. γλυκύ
2. glukus
3. sweet
4. -
5. 10990
6. A····ANS
7. sweet
8. sweet
9. -
10. Y60
11. 147630
1. ποιῆσαι
2. poieō
3. to produce
4. -
5. 41600
6. VNAA····
7. ˓to˒ produce
8. ˓to˒ produce
9. -
10. Y60
11. 147631
1. ὕδωρ
2. udōr
3. water
4. water
5. 52040
6. N····ANS
7. water
8. water
9. -
10. Y60
11. 147632

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 3:1–12: Believers must be careful what they say

In this section, James warned believers to be careful with their speech. When believers do not control what they say, it can have a devastating, evil impact. This was an especially serious danger for those who taught others in the church. James reinforced his warning with a series of comparisons or illustrations to show how important it is that Christians control their speech.

Introduction

3:1–2a: Becoming a teacher in the church is a serious thing to do

The tongue is compared to small things which have large effects

3:2b–3	A small bit can turn a horse
3:4–5c	A small rudder can turn a sailing ship
3:5d–6	A small fire can destroy much
3:7–8	Animals can be tamed but not our tongues

Each of us should be consistent in using our tongue for good

3:9–10	The tongue should not be used for both blessing and cursing
3:11	Springs produce one kind of water
3:12	Trees produce one kind of fruit

Some other possible headings for this section are:

We must control our speechTranslator’s Handbook on James, page 100.

Controlling the things we say (NCV)

Paragraph 3:9–12

In this paragraph, James showed how inconsistent the tongue is. Both good words and bad words come out of the same mouth. This is something that should not happen. It is also contrary to nature.

3:12b

or a grapevine bear figs?

Or, can a grapevine produce figs?
Are guavas found on a passion fruit vine? Of course not!
nor can a grapevine produce figs.

3:12a–b

can a fig tree grow olives, or a grapevine bear figs?: This is a rhetorical question. James used this question to rebuke his readers by emphasizing a well-known fact: each plant produces its own kind of fruit. He was saying that a fig tree certainly cannot produce olives and a grapevine cannot produce figs. This means that good people should not produce curses.

Some ways to translate this emphasis are:

As a rhetorical question. For example:
Can a fig tree produce olives…or a vine produce figs? (NET)
A fig tree cannot bear olives, and a grapevine cannot bear figs, right?
As a statement. For example:
A fig tree…cannot bear olives; a grapevine cannot bear figs (GNT)
A fig tree certainly cannot produce olives, and a grapevine certainly cannot produce figs.

Translate this emphasis in a way that is natural in your language.

fig tree…olives…grapevine…figs: In many languages, there are no words for the exact kinds of trees and fruit that James mentions here. However, the important part of the meaning here is not the exact kind of tree or fruit. The point is the fact that a tree cannot bear fruit that is not of its own kind.

James used these particular trees and fruits in his illustration because they were common in the region where he lived. Figs were a delicious fruit that was typical of the good things of that land. Olives were important as the main source oil used for cooking in that region. Grapes were squeezed to obtain juice, which was made into wine, the main drink of the region.

One way to translate these terms is to use trees and fruit that are common in your area. For example:

Does a guava tree produce mangos? Or does a passion fruit vine produce guavas? Of course not!

3:12a

My brothers, can a fig tree grow olives,

My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree produce olives?
My fellow believers, are mangos found on a guava tree?
My brothers and sisters, a fig tree certainly cannot produce olives,

My brothers: Once again, James used the term of address My brothers to soften the rebuke in 3:10–12.

See the notes on “my brothers” at 1:2a and 3:10b.

3:12c

Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

Neither can a bitter-water spring produce fresh/drinking water.
Likewise, a spring that gives bad water can/does not produce good water.

Neither: The Greek word that the BSB translates as Neither introduces the last sentence of this paragraph. Some other ways to begin this sentence are:

Likewise

In the same way (GW)

It is just as impossible (JBP)

The picture has changed from trees and their fruit back to a spring and its water. The point here is not only that one kind of spring cannot produce water of a different kind. The point is that a bad spring cannot produce good water.The translation of KJV “so can no fountain [that is, spring] both yield salt water and fresh” depends on different manuscript copies from the ones followed by the modern versions. The text followed by KJV says the same thing in other words as 3:11, but the text that BSB and the other modern versions follow says that bad cannot produce good. This is an advance in James’ argument, preparing the way for the next section 3:13–18. Therefore it seems likely that the text followed here by KJV is not original, and so it is not recommended. The implied information is that bad people cannot produce good praise to God.

salt spring: The Greek word that the BSB translates as salt spring is literally “salty.” (The noun spring is not in the Greek text here but is implied from 3:11.) This word is different than the word meaning “bitter” (BSB “salt”) in 3:11. But the meaning is similar. It refers to a spring that always produces water that is not good to drink.

Some other ways to translate this word are:

a spring whose water tastes salty

a spring that produces water not fit to drink

In Israel, there are springs that are so full of minerals that it is not safe to drink the water. If salt springs are unknown in your area, you may want to replace salt spring with something that is more common in your area. For example:

a salty pool (NLT96)

a salt pond (ESV)

a well that gives foul water

fresh water: Here the phrase fresh water refers to water that tastes good. This same word occurs in 3:11.

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / doublenegatives

μὴ δύναται, ἀδελφοί μου, συκῆ ἐλαίας ποιῆσαι

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Μή δύναται ἀδελφοί μού συκῆ ἐλαίας ποιῆσαι ἤ ἄμπελος σῦκα Οὔτε ἁλυκόν γλυκύ ποιῆσαι ὕδωρ)

The first word of this sentence in Greek is a negative word that can be used to turn a statement into a question that expects a negative answer. ULT shows this by adding “is it?” Your language may have other ways of asking a question that expects a negative answer, for example, by changing the word order of a positive statement. Alternate translation: [Is a fig tree able to make olives]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

μὴ δύναται, ἀδελφοί μου, συκῆ ἐλαίας ποιῆσαι

James is using the question form as a teaching tool. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this question by translating his words as a statement. Alternate translation: [A fig tree is not able to make olives]

Note 3 topic: translate-unknown

μὴ δύναται, ἀδελφοί μου, συκῆ ἐλαίας ποιῆσαι

A fig tree is a tree that produces small, sweet fruit. Although olives also grow on trees and are technically fruit, they are oily and pungent. If your readers would not be familiar with these kinds of fruit, you could use two other contrasting kinds of fruit as examples, or you could use a general expression. Alternate translation (as a statement): [One kind of tree is not able to produce fruit that would grow on a different kind of tree]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ἀδελφοί μου

brothers (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Μή δύναται ἀδελφοί μού συκῆ ἐλαίας ποιῆσαι ἤ ἄμπελος σῦκα Οὔτε ἁλυκόν γλυκύ ποιῆσαι ὕδωρ)

See how you translated the term brothers in [1:2](../01/02.md). Alternate translation: [my fellow believers]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

ἢ ἄμπελος σῦκα

James is leaving out some of the words that a sentence would need in many languages in order to be complete. These words can be supplied from earlier in the sentence. Alternate translation: [or is a grapevine able to make figs]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

ἢ ἄμπελος σῦκα

James is using the question form as a teaching tool. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this question by translating his words as a statement if you also translated the question in the earlier part of the sentence as a statement. Alternate translation: [and a grapevine is not able to make figs]

Note 7 topic: translate-unknown

ἢ ἄμπελος σῦκα

A grapevine is a woody vine that produces small, juicy fruit. This fruit is quite different from figs. If your readers would not be familiar with these kinds of fruit, you could use two other contrasting kinds of fruit as examples, or you could use a general expression. If you already used a general expression earlier in the verse, you could restate it here as a separate sentence for emphasis. Alternate translation: [No, a tree is not able to do that]

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

ἢ ἄμπελος σῦκα?

James is leaving out some of the words that a sentence would need in many languages in order to be complete. These words can be supplied from earlier in the verse. Alternate translation: [or is a grapevine able to produce figs]

Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

οὔτε ἁλυκὸν γλυκὺ ποιῆσαι ὕδωρ

James concludes his teaching about speech with this final example. It may be helpful after this example to restate the implications of all the examples that James has given in this verse and in the previous verse, as UST does.

Note 10 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

οὔτε ἁλυκὸν γλυκὺ ποιῆσαι ὕδωρ

Note 11 topic: figures-of-speech / nominaladj

ἁλυκὸν

James is using the adjective salty as a noun. Since James is speaking of something that can make or produce water, he is likely speaking of a spring. Your language may use adjectives in the same way. If not, you could translate this with an equivalent expression. Alternate translation: [a saline spring]

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) 3:12

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

Section 3:1–12: Believers must be careful what they say

Paragraph 3:9–12

3:12b

3:12a–b

3:12a

3:12c

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)