OET interlinear YAC (JAM) 5:20

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: writing-pronouns

γινωσκέτω

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: γινώσκετε ὅτι ὁ ἐπιστρέψας ἁμαρτωλόν ἐκ πλάνης ὁδοῦ αὐτοῦ σώσει ψυχήν αὐτοῦ ἐκ θανάτου καί καλύψει πλῆθος ἁμαρτιῶν)

The pronoun him refers to the person who corrects another believer who has been deceived. Alternate translation: [the person who corrects the deceived believer should know]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

ὁ ἐπιστρέψας ἁμαρτωλὸν ἐκ πλάνης ὁδοῦ αὐτοῦ

the_‹one› ˓having˒_turned_back (Some words not found in SR-GNT: γινώσκετε ὅτι ὁ ἐπιστρέψας ἁμαρτωλόν ἐκ πλάνης ὁδοῦ αὐτοῦ σώσει ψυχήν αὐτοῦ ἐκ θανάτου καί καλύψει πλῆθος ἁμαρτιῶν)

James is using the possessive form to describe a way or path that is characterized by wandering. Alternate translation: [the one who turns back a sinner who has wandered away]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ὁ ἐπιστρέψας ἁμαρτωλὸν ἐκ πλάνης ὁδοῦ αὐτοῦ

the_‹one› ˓having˒_turned_back (Some words not found in SR-GNT: γινώσκετε ὅτι ὁ ἐπιστρέψας ἁμαρτωλόν ἐκ πλάνης ὁδοῦ αὐτοῦ σώσει ψυχήν αὐτοῦ ἐκ θανάτου καί καλύψει πλῆθος ἁμαρτιῶν)

The expressions turns back and wandering continue the metaphor of someone guiding a person in the right direction. Alternate translation: [anyone who corrects a sinner who has stopped doing what God wants]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

σώσει ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ ἐκ θανάτου

˓will_be˒_saving (Some words not found in SR-GNT: γινώσκετε ὅτι ὁ ἐπιστρέψας ἁμαρτωλόν ἐκ πλάνης ὁδοῦ αὐτοῦ σώσει ψυχήν αὐτοῦ ἐκ θανάτου καί καλύψει πλῆθος ἁμαρτιῶν)

James is speaking as if this person’s actions would save the sinner’s soul from death. But James means by association that God will use those actions to persuade the sinner to repent and be saved. Alternate translation: [will be an instrument of God’s work to save the sinner’s soul from death]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

σώσει ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ ἐκ θανάτου

˓will_be˒_saving (Some words not found in SR-GNT: γινώσκετε ὅτι ὁ ἐπιστρέψας ἁμαρτωλόν ἐκ πλάνης ὁδοῦ αὐτοῦ σώσει ψυχήν αὐτοῦ ἐκ θανάτου καί καλύψει πλῆθος ἁμαρτιῶν)

James seems to be speaking not of literal, physical death but of spiritual death, that is, of eternal separation from God. Alternate translation: [from spiritual death] (as in UST) or [from eternal separation from God]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / synecdoche

σώσει ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ ἐκ θανάτου

˓will_be˒_saving (Some words not found in SR-GNT: γινώσκετε ὅτι ὁ ἐπιστρέψας ἁμαρτωλόν ἐκ πλάνης ὁδοῦ αὐτοῦ σώσει ψυχήν αὐτοῦ ἐκ θανάτου καί καλύψει πλῆθος ἁμαρτιῶν)

However, some interpreters believe that James actually is speaking of literal, physical death. They believe he is saying that a person who stops his sinful lifestyle will not experience physical death as a consequence of his sin. In that case, James would be using one part of a person, his soul, to mean all of the person. Alternate translation: [will keep him from dying]

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

καλύψει πλῆθος ἁμαρτιῶν

˓will_be˒_covering ˓a˒_multitude ˱of˲_sins

James is speaking of one person’s sins as if they were objects that another person could cover so that God would not see them. He means that by helping a sinner to repent, another believer can help that sinner to be forgiven. Alternate translation: [will help him to be forgiven]