YAC 4:14 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. Οἵτινες
2. hostis
3. Who
4. -
5. 37480
6. R····NMP
7. who
8. who
9. S
10. Y60
11. 147983
1. οὐκ
2. ou
3. not
4. don't
5. 37560
6. D·······
7. not
8. not
9. -
10. Y60
11. 147984
1. ἐπίστασθε
2. epistamai
3. are knowing
4. -
5. 19870
6. VIPM2··P
7. ˓are˒ knowing
8. ˓are˒ knowing
9. -
10. Y60
11. 147985
1. τό
2. ho
3. -
4. -
5. 35880
6. R····ANS
7. what
8. what
9. -
10. -
11. 147986
1. τά
2. ho
3. -
4. -
5. 35880
6. R····ANP
7. what ‹things›
8. what ‹things›
9. -
10. -
11. 147987
1. τῆς
2. ho
3. on the day
4. -
5. 35880
6. R····GFS
7. ˱on˲ the ‹day›
8. ˱on˲ the ‹day›
9. -
10. Y60
11. 147988
1. αὔριον
2. aurion
3. next will be
4. -
5. 8390
6. D·······
7. next ‹will_be›
8. next ‹will_be›
9. -
10. Y60
11. 147989
1. ποία
2. poios
3. what is
4. -
5. 41690
6. E····NFS
7. what ‹is›
8. what ‹is›
9. -
10. Y60
11. 147990
1. γάρ
2. gar
3. because/for
4. because
5. 10630
6. C·······
7. for
8. for
9. -
10. Y60
11. 147991
1. ἡ
2. ho
3. -
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····NFS
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. -
11. 147992
1. ζωή
2. zōē
3. life
4. -
5. 22220
6. N····NFS
7. life
8. life
9. -
10. Y60
11. 147993
1. ὑμῶν
2. su
3. of you all
4. your
5. 47710
6. R···2G·P
7. ˱of˲ you_all
8. ˱of˲ you_all
9. -
10. Y60; R147960
11. 147994
1. ἀτμίς
2. atmis
3. +a vapour
4. vapour
5. 8220
6. N····NFS
7. ˓a˒ vapour
8. ˓a˒ vapor
9. -
10. Y60; F148003; F148007
11. 147995
1. Γάρ
2. gar
3. For/Because
4. -
5. 10630
6. C·······
7. for
8. for
9. S
10. Y60
11. 147996
1. ἐστέ
2. eimi
3. you all are
4. -
5. 15100
6. VIPA2··P
7. ˱you_all˲ are
8. ˱you_all˲ are
9. -
10. Y60
11. 147997
1. ἔσται
2. eimi
3. -
4. -
5. 15100
6. VIFM3··S
7. ˱it˲ will_be
8. ˱it˲ will_be
9. -
10. -
11. 147998
1. ἐστίν
2. eimi
3. -
4. -
5. 15100
6. VIPA3··S
7. ˱it˲ is
8. ˱it˲ is
9. -
10. -
11. 147999
1. ἡ
2. ho
3. which
4. that
5. 35880
6. R····NFS
7. ¬which
8. ¬which
9. -
10. Y60
11. 148000
1. πρός
2. pros
3. for
4. -
5. 43140
6. P·······
7. for
8. for
9. -
10. Y60
11. 148001
1. ὀλίγον
2. oligos
3. +a little time
4. -
5. 36410
6. S····ANS
7. ˓a˒ little ‹time›
8. ˓a˒ little ‹time›
9. -
10. Y60
11. 148002
1. φαινομένη
2. fainō
3. appearing
4. appears
5. 53160
6. VPPM·NFS
7. appearing
8. appearing
9. -
10. Y60; R147995
11. 148003
1. ἔπειτα
2. epeita
3. then
4. -
5. 18990
6. D·······
7. then
8. then
9. -
10. Y60
11. 148004
1. δέ
2. de
3. -
4. -
5. 11610
6. C·······
7. and
8. and
9. -
10. -
11. 148005
1. καί
2. kai
3. also
4. -
5. 25320
6. D·······
7. also
8. also
9. -
10. Y60
11. 148006
1. ἀφανιζομένη
2. afanizō
3. being perishing
4. -
5. 8530
6. VPPP·NFS
7. ˓being˒ perishing
8. ˓being˒ perishing
9. -
10. Y60; R147995
11. 148007

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 4:13–17: Trust in the Lord and not in yourselves

In this section, James rebuked the merchants who made plans to get rich but did not think about God. It is not clear whether or not the people whom James was denouncing belonged to the Christian community. It may be that among the Jewish traders of the time there were some who claimed to follow Christ but were not living as they should. On the other hand, there were no doubt many rich traders and merchants outside the church (see the references to “the rich” in 2:6–7), and James’ words would have served as a warning to Christians not to desire to follow their example.

Some other possible headings for this section are:

Don’t Brag About Your Plans for the Future (GW)

Warning against Boasting (GNT)

Paragraph 4:13–17

James described the way traders made plans to get rich (4:13). Then he explained that those who think like that are ignoring God (4:14). He told them that instead they ought to submit to the Lord’s will (4:15). He reminded them that their behavior was arrogant (4:16) and warned them that God considered it sinful (4:17).

4:14a–b

You do not even know what will happen tomorrow! What is your life?: There are two ways to punctuate 4:14a–b. Consequently, there are two ways to interpret the clause that the BSB translates as What is your life. They are:

It is a rhetorical question and goes with what follows in 4:14c–e. According to this interpretation, James was emphasizing the shortness of life.Ropes, page 278; Hiebert, page 276; Laws, page 191; Moo (1985), page 155. In addition, some other modern editions of the Greek text (Tischendorf, von Soden, Vogels, Merk, and Bover), versions (KJV, LB, JBP) and commentators (Alford, page 319; Huther, page 194; Mayor, page 145; Adamson (1976), page 179) follow a different manuscript reading where the word γάρ is inserted, thus ensuring that (1) is inevitably followed. For example, the NET says:
You do not know about tomorrow. What is your life like? (BSB, RSV, NIV, REB, KJV, NET, GW, NLT96, NCV, ESV, CEV, JBP)
It is a statement and goes with what precedes in 4:14a. According to this interpretation, James was emphasizing that the traders were ignorant of what their life would be like tomorrow.Martin, page 158. For example, the GNT says:
You don’t even know what your life tomorrow will be! (GNT, NASB, NLT)

It is recommended that you follow option (1). This is followed by the majority of commentators and English versions. James’ point is not about what your life will be like tomorrow, but whether you will be alive at all. This is clear from 4:15.

4:14a

You do not even know what will happen tomorrow!

However, you^(plur) do not know what events will happen/occur tomorrow!
But do you^(plur) even know what will happen tomorrow? Of course not!

There is a contrast between 4:13 and 4:14. The contrast is between the rich people’s plans, and the fact that they do not know what will happen the next day. Some ways to show this contrast are:

But (NCV)

You talk like that, however

You do not even know what will happen tomorrow!: The BSB uses even as a way of communicating the exclamation in English. The NIV tries to show this exclamation and the contrast mentioned above by using the word “Why.”

Some ways to translate this sentence are:

As an exclamation. For example:
Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. (NIV)
But you do not know what will happen tomorrow! (NCV)
You have no idea/clue what will happen tomorrow!
As a rhetorical question that emphasizes that we do not know what will happen tomorrow. For example:
But do you even know what will happen tomorrow? Of course not!
What do you know about tomorrow? (CEV)

4:14b

What is your life?

What is your^(plur) life like?
Think about your^(plur) life!
You^(plur) live

What is your life?: This is a rhetorical question. It emphasizes how uncertain life is. James responded to his own rhetorical question in the next sentence.

Some ways to translate this rhetorical question are:

As a rhetorical question. For example:
What is your life after all? (REB)
Do you know how long you will live?
To what can your life be compared?
As a statement. For example:
Think about your life.
Consider the time you have to live.
As a phrase connected to and introducing 4:14c. For example:
Your life is…. (NCV)
The time you live is like

Translate this rhetorical question in a way that is natural in your language.

4:14c–e

Most English versions use no connecting word at the beginning of this sentence. In Greek, there is a connector showing that this sentence explains the reason why life is uncertain. The RSV translates the Greek conjunction as “For.” Use a natural way of connecting this sentence to the question that came before it.

You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes: This is a metaphor. In this metaphor, James compared a person’s life to a mist. The way that they are similar is that both exist for only a short time.

Some ways to translate this metaphor are:

Keep the metaphor. For example:
It is nothing more than mist that appears for only a little while before it disappears. (CEV)
Change the metaphor to a simile. For example:
For your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. (NLT96)
Translate the meaning without using the metaphor. For example:
You live for a brief while and then pass away.

4:14c

You are a mist

You^(plur) are like a puff of smoke
It is very brief like steam
for only

You are: The words You are introduce an answer to the question “What is your life?” In some languages, it may be necessary to say “Your life is….” For example:

your life is like (NLT)

a mist: The Greek word that the BSB translates as a mist means “a vapor or smoke that goes into the air.” Some other ways to translate this word are:

puff of smoke (NET)

morning fog (NLT)

steam

4:14d

that appears for a little while

that is here only a short time.
that is seen for a moment (GW)
a brief time.

appears for a little while: The Greek word that the BSB translates as appears means “exists” or “is here.” Some other ways to translate this clause are:

it’s here a little while (NLT)

that is seen for a moment (GW)

You can see it for a short time (NCV)

4:14e

and then vanishes.

Then it disappears.
then goes away.
Then you^(plur) die.

and then vanishes: The Greek word that the BSB translates as vanishes also means “disappear.” Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

and then disappears (GNT)

then it goes away (NCV)

If you translate the meaning of 4:14c–e without using a metaphor, some ways to translate vanishes are:

and then you pass away

then it’s over

and then you die

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) 4:14

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