James 4:15 — Greek interlinear

1. Greek word
2. Greek lemma
3. OET-LV words
4. OET-RV words
5. Strong's
6. Role/Morphology
7. OET Gloss
8. VLT Gloss
9. CAPS codes
10. Confidence
11. OET tags
12. OET word #
1. Ἀντί
2. ἀντί
3. Instead of
4. instead of
5. G473 ↗
6. P-·······
7. instead_of
8. instead_of
9. S
10. Y60
11. 148008
1. τοῦ
2. ὁ
3. that
4. -
5. G3588 ↗
6. R-····GNS
7. that
8. that
9. -
10. Y60
11. 148009
1. λέγειν
2. λέγω
3. to be saying
4. saying
5. G3004 ↗
6. V-NPA····
7. ˓to_be˒ saying
8. ˓to_be˒ saying
9. -
10. Y60
11. 148010
1. ὑμᾶς
2. σύ
3. you all ought
4. you should
5. G4771 ↗
6. R-···2A·P
7. you_all ‹ought›
8. you_all ‹ought›
9. -
10. Y60; R147960
11. 148011
1. Ἐάν
2. ἐάν
3. If
4. ‘If
5. G1437 ↗
6. C-·······
7. if
8. if
9. D
10. Y60
11. 148012
1. ὁ
2. ὁ
3. the
4. the
5. G3588 ↗
6. E-····NMS
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y60
11. 148013
1. Κύριος
2. κύριος
3. master
4. master
5. G2962 ↗
6. N-····NMS
7. master
8. Lord
9. GN
10. Y60
11. 148014
1. θελήσῃ
2. θέλω
3. may will
4. -
5. G2309 ↗
6. V-SAA3··S
7. ˓may˒ will
8. ˓may˒ will
9. -
10. Y60
11. 148015
1. θέλῃ
2. θέλω
3. -
4. -
5. G2309 ↗
6. V-SPA3··S
7. ˓may_be˒ willing
8. ˓may_be˒ willing
9. -
10. -
11. 148016
1. καί
2. καί
3. both
4. -
5. G2532 ↗
6. C-·······
7. both
8. both
9. -
10. Y60
11. 148017
1. ζήσομεν
2. ζάω
3. we will be living
4. we will live
5. G2198 ↗
6. V-IFA1··P
7. ˱we˲ ˓will_be˒ living
8. ˱we˲ ˓will_be˒ living
9. -
10. Y60; R147960
11. 148018
1. ζήσωμεν
2. ζάω
3. -
4. -
5. G2198 ↗
6. V-SAA1··P
7. ˱we˲ ˓may˒ live
8. ˱we˲ ˓may˒ live
9. -
10. -
11. 148019
1. καί
2. καί
3. and
4. and
5. G2532 ↗
6. C-·······
7. and
8. and
9. -
10. Y60
11. 148020
1. ποιήσομεν
2. ποιέω
3. we will be doing
4. we'll do
5. G4160 ↗
6. V-IFA1··P
7. ˱we˲ ˓will_be˒ doing
8. ˱we˲ ˓will_be˒ doing
9. -
10. Y60; R147960
11. 148021
1. ποιήσωμεν
2. ποιέω
3. -
4. -
5. G4160 ↗
6. V-SAA1··P
7. ˱we˲ ˓may˒ do
8. ˱we˲ ˓may˒ do
9. -
10. -
11. 148022
1. τοῦτο
2. οὗτος
3. this
4. this
5. G3778 ↗
6. R-····ANS
7. this
8. this
9. -
10. Y60
11. 148023
1. ἤ
2. ἦ
3. or
4. or
5. G2228 ↗
6. C-·······
7. or
8. or
9. -
10. Y60
11. 148024
1. ἐκεῖνο
2. ἐκεῖνος
3. that
4. that
5. G1565 ↗
6. R-····ANS
7. that
8. that
9. -
10. Y60
11. 148025

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).

4:15a

Instead, you ought to say,

Instead of what you^(plur) are saying, you should say,
Rather than talking about your^(plur) plans, what you should say is this:

Instead, you ought to say: The clause Instead, you ought to say means “Rather than saying today or tomorrow we will do this and that, you ought to saywhat follows.” Some English versions do not use the word Instead. They use another construction to indicate the contrast between this verse and 4:13.

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

What you should say is this: (GNT)

Instead of saying that, here is what you should say

Rather than talking about your plans, what you should say is this:

4:15b

“If the Lord is willing,

“If the Lord wants/desires it,
“If it pleases the Lord God,

If the Lord is willing: The clause If the Lord is willing means “If the Lord wants us to live and do these things.” Some other ways to translate this clause are:

If the Lord wants

If the Lord desires it

If the Lord agrees

If the Lord God likes

the Lord: The phrase the Lord refers to God. It means “Master”, the One who has supreme authority over everyone and everything. See the note at 4:10a. See also Lord in the Glossary.

4:15c

we will live

we will continue to live
then we will still be alive

we will live: The Greek verb that the BSB translates here as we will live means “we shall continue to live.” For example:

we shall still be alive (JBP)

In some languages, it may be necessary to add a word to indicate that this verb begins the second part of an “if” clause. For example:

then we will live (NET)

4:15d

and do this or that.”

and we will do this event or that event.”
and be able to go and do this business.”

and do this or that: The Greek expression that the BSB translates as this or that refers to the particular event that the traders planned to do.See Davids (1982), page 173; Hiebert, page 278. Most commentators do not discuss this point. They planned to do business and make money.

Some other ways to translate this expression are:

We will do these things. (CEV)

carry out our plans (GW)

do so-and-so (JBP)

James was saying that people should continue to make definite plans but should make them subject to the condition: “If it is the Lord’s will.”

General Comment on 4:15b–d

In some languages, it will be necessary to include parts of 4:15c–d in the “If” clause of 4:15c. For example:

^bIf the Lord wants us ^cto live ^dand do this or that, it will happen.

If the Lord wants us to live, we will live. If he wants us to do this or that, we will do it.

uW Translation Notes:

καὶ ζήσομεν καὶ ποιήσομεν

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ἀντί τοῦ λέγειν ὑμᾶς Ἐάν ὁ Κύριος θελήσῃ καί ζήσομεν καί ποιήσομεν τοῦτο ἤ ἐκεῖνο)

James is using a construction that puts the word “and” before two things that would both be the case, more literally “and we will live and we will do.” Your language may have a similar construction that you could use here. If not, it may not be necessary for you to translate the first occurrence of “and,” which ULT represents as both. (The term both in ULT does not mean “the two of us.”) Alternate translation: [we will live and we will do]

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / exclusive

καὶ ζήσομεν καὶ ποιήσομεν

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ἀντί τοῦ λέγειν ὑμᾶς Ἐάν ὁ Κύριος θελήσῃ καί ζήσομεν καί ποιήσομεν τοῦτο ἤ ἐκεῖνο)

These people would be speaking only of themselves, so the pronoun we is exclusive.

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

τοῦτο ἢ ἐκεῖνο

this (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ἀντί τοῦ λέγειν ὑμᾶς Ἐάν ὁ Κύριος θελήσῃ καί ζήσομεν καί ποιήσομεν τοῦτο ἤ ἐκεῖνο)

This is an idiom. No specific actions are intended. Your language may have a comparable idiom that you can use in your translation. Alternate translation: [such-and-such]

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

1. OET-LV words
2. OET-RV words
3. Strong's
4. Greek word
5. Greek lemma
6. Role/Morphology
7. OET Gloss
8. VLT Gloss
9. CAPS codes
10. Confidence
11. OET tags
12. OET word #
1. Instead of
2. instead of
3. G473 ↗
4. Ἀντί
5. ἀντί
6. P-·······
7. instead_of
8. instead_of
9. S
10. Y60
11. 148008
1. that
2. -
3. G3588 ↗
4. τοῦ
5. ὁ
6. R-····GNS
7. that
8. that
9. -
10. Y60
11. 148009
1. to be saying
2. saying
3. G3004 ↗
4. λέγειν
5. λέγω
6. V-NPA····
7. ˓to_be˒ saying
8. ˓to_be˒ saying
9. -
10. Y60
11. 148010
1. you all ought
2. you should
3. G4771 ↗
4. ὑμᾶς
5. σύ
6. R-···2A·P
7. you_all ‹ought›
8. you_all ‹ought›
9. -
10. Y60; R147960
11. 148011
1. If
2. ‘If
3. G1437 ↗
4. Ἐάν
5. ἐάν
6. C-·······
7. if
8. if
9. D
10. Y60
11. 148012
1. the
2. the
3. G3588 ↗
4. ὁ
5. ὁ
6. E-····NMS
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y60
11. 148013
1. master
2. master
3. G2962 ↗
4. Κύριος
5. κύριος
6. N-····NMS
7. master
8. Lord
9. GN
10. Y60
11. 148014
1. may will
2. -
3. G2309 ↗
4. θελήσῃ
5. θέλω
6. V-SAA3··S
7. ˓may˒ will
8. ˓may˒ will
9. -
10. Y60
11. 148015
1. both
2. -
3. G2532 ↗
4. καί
5. καί
6. C-·······
7. both
8. both
9. -
10. Y60
11. 148017
1. we will be living
2. we will live
3. G2198 ↗
4. ζήσομεν
5. ζάω
6. V-IFA1··P
7. ˱we˲ ˓will_be˒ living
8. ˱we˲ ˓will_be˒ living
9. -
10. Y60; R147960
11. 148018
1. and
2. and
3. G2532 ↗
4. καί
5. καί
6. C-·······
7. and
8. and
9. -
10. Y60
11. 148020
1. we will be doing
2. we'll do
3. G4160 ↗
4. ποιήσομεν
5. ποιέω
6. V-IFA1··P
7. ˱we˲ ˓will_be˒ doing
8. ˱we˲ ˓will_be˒ doing
9. -
10. Y60; R147960
11. 148021
1. this
2. this
3. G3778 ↗
4. τοῦτο
5. οὗτος
6. R-····ANS
7. this
8. this
9. -
10. Y60
11. 148023
1. or
2. or
3. G2228 ↗
4. ἤ
5. ἦ
6. C-·······
7. or
8. or
9. -
10. Y60
11. 148024
1. that
2. that
3. G1565 ↗
4. ἐκεῖνο
5. ἐκεῖνος
6. R-····ANS
7. that
8. that
9. -
10. Y60
11. 148025

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) 4:15

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