OET interlinear YAC (JAM) 3:18

3:18a–b

Peacemakers who sow in peace reap the fruit of righteousness: This sentence is a proverb. It also contains a metaphor. There are at least two main issues to consider as you translate this verse.

Issue 1: How to translate naturally

This Greek sentence is more literally “the fruit/harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by the ones making peace.” It may be strange to speak of a harvest being sown. So it may be more natural to speak of sowing seeds that result in a harvest. For example:

And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness. (NLT)

Issue 2: How to translate the metaphor

The words sow and raise a harvest are a metaphor. James compared the activity of sowing (seeds) and harvesting a crop to the activity of a peacemaker. These activities are similar in that certain actions naturally lead to certain results. Just as planting a crop leads to a harvest, promoting peace among the community of believers leads to righteous actions in that community.

Some ways to translate this metaphor are:

• Keep the metaphor. For example:

  When peacemakers plant seeds of peace, they will harvest justice. (CEV)

  And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of goodness. (NLT96)

• Change the metaphor to a simile. For example:

  Peacemakers are like people who plant and then harvest a crop. When they make/promote peace, it results in righteous actions.

• Translate the meaning without using a metaphor. For example:

  When people live peacefully and help others to be at peace, then the result is righteous actions in their lives and the lives of others.

3:18a

Peacemakers who sow in peace: The phrase who sow in peace describes all peacemakers. It does not indicate that some peacemakers sow in peace and others do not.

Some ways to make this clear are:

When people who are peacemakers sow in peace

Peacemakers, because they sow in peace

Peacemakers: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as Peacemakers is literally “those who make peace” (as in the RSV). It refers to people who:

1. live in peace with other people, and

2. help others to stop quarreling and live together peacefully.

Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

People who live peacefully and who help others to live together peacefully

People who live in peace and who help others stop quarreling

Those who are peaceful and who settle conflicts

who sow in peace: The way you translate the phrase in peace will depend on whether you keep the metaphor or translate the meaning. For example:

• If you keep the metaphor, the word peace here refers to that which is sown. For example:

  The peace sown by peacemakers (NJB)

  When peacemakers plant seeds of peace (CEV)

• If you translate the meaning, the phrase in peace refers to the manner or attitude in which peacemakers act. In other words, peacemakers do things in a manner or attitude that leads to peace between people. For example:

  When people live peacefully and help others to be at peace

  When people behave in a peaceable way

3:18b

reap the fruit of righteousness: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as reap the fruit of righteousness is literally “a crop/harvest of righteousness.” It is a noun phrase. Some versions, like the BSB, translate it as a verb phrase. (Some other examples are below.)

The phrase the fruit of righteousness means “a harvest that consists of righteousness.” Right living that pleases God is the fruit or crop that is produced by wise people who sow peace.

The way you translate this phrase will depend on whether you keep the metaphor or translate the meaning. For example:

• If you keep the metaphor, you will translate the word harvest literally. For example:

  reap a harvest of righteousness (NLT)

  they will harvest justice (CEV)

• If you translate the meaning, you will translate the word fruit as “result” or “produce” or some similar word. For example:

  then the result is righteous actions in their lives and the lives of others

  it produces righteousness

righteousness: The Greek word that the BSB translates as righteousness means:

1. actions that are right and good in God’s sight. Righteous actions will result when people live in peace with others and promote peace.

2. acting in a right and fair way toward other people. Peaceful people who promote peace will reap justice in return.

Some other ways to translate this word are:

good acts/behavior

right deeds

goodness (GNT)

See righteous, meaning 1, in the Glossary.