YAC 5:9 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. D·······
7. not
8. not
9. S
10. Y60
11. 148201
1. στενάζετε
2. stenazō
3. be groaning
4. -
5. 47270
6. VMPA2··P
7. ˓be˒ groaning
8. ˓be˒ groaning
9. -
10. Y60; R148203
11. 148202
1. ἀδελφοί
2. adelfos
3. brothers
4. fellow believers
5. 800
6. N····VMP
7. brothers
8. brothers
9. -
10. Y60; F148202; F148206; F148210
11. 148203
1. μού
2. egō
3. -
4. -
5. 14730
6. R···1G·S
7. ˱of˲ me
8. ˱of˲ me
9. -
10. -
11. 148204
1. κατʼ
2. kata
3. against
4. -
5. 25960
6. P·······
7. against
8. against
9. -
10. Y60
11. 148205
1. ἀλλήλων
2. allēlōn
3. one another
4. -
5. 2400
6. R····GMP
7. one_another
8. one_another
9. -
10. Y60; R148203
11. 148206
1. ἀδελφοί
2. adelfos
3. -
4. -
5. 800
6. N····VMP
7. brothers
8. brothers
9. -
10. -
11. 148207
1. ἵνα
2. hina
3. in order that
4. -
5. 24430
6. C·······
7. in_order_that
8. in_order_that
9. -
10. Y60
11. 148208
1. μή
2. mē
3. not
4. don't won't
5. 33610
6. D·······
7. not
8. not
9. -
10. Y60
11. 148209
1. κριθῆτε
2. krinō
3. you all may be judged
4. you judged
5. 29190
6. VSAP2··P
7. ˱you_all˲ ˓may_be˒ judged
8. ˱you_all˲ ˓may_be˒ judged
9. -
10. Y60; R148203
11. 148210
1. κατακριθῆτε
2. katakrinō
3. -
4. -
5. 26320
6. VSAP2··P
7. ˱you_all˲ ˓may_be˒ condemned
8. ˱you_all˲ ˓may_be˒ condemned
9. -
10. -
11. 148211
1. Ἰδού
2. horaō
3. Behold
4. -
5. 37080
6. IMAM2··S
7. see
8. behold
9. S
10. Y60
11. 148212
1. ὁ
2. ho
3. the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····NMS
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y60
11. 148213
1. κριτής
2. kritēs
3. judge
4. judge
5. 29230
6. N····NMS
7. judge
8. judge
9. -
10. Y60
11. 148214
1. πρό
2. pro
3. before
4. -
5. 42530
6. P·······
7. before
8. before
9. -
10. Y60
11. 148215
1. τῶν
2. ho
3. the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····GFP
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y60
11. 148216
1. θυρῶν
2. thura
3. doors
4. doors
5. 23740
6. N····GFP
7. doors
8. doors
9. -
10. Y60
11. 148217
1. ἕστηκεν
2. histēmi
3. has stood
4. -
5. 24760
6. VIEA3··S
7. ˓has˒ stood
8. ˓has˒ stood
9. -
10. Y60
11. 148218

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 5:7–12: Suffering believers should be patient and persevere in their faith

In this section, James explained how Christian people should respond when ungodly rich people oppress them. Christians should not resist but should be patient, waiting for the Lord to come and bring justice (5:7–8). The theme of patience in the midst of suffering is related to the opening theme of the letter (1:2–4). As well as being patient in suffering, Christians should be patient with one another (5:9). They should follow the example of the prophets of God (5:10–11). They should avoid swearing with oaths (5:12).

Commentators disagree over which section the paragraph 5:12 belongs to. ManyHuther, page 215, 217; Mitton, page 191; Davids (1982); Moo (1985), page 173. of them say that it does not belong to this section (5:7–12) more than the next one (5:13–18), and prefer to set it off as separate from both. A fewLaws, page 219; Martin, page 199; see also Ropes, page 300, for a similar view. of them put it with 5:13–18 because it shares the same topic of referring to God when speaking. A few othersAlford, page 325; Adamson (1976), page 194; Hiebert, page 308. (see also the NIV) put it with 5:7–11, because it is similar to 5:9. On the whole it seems best to put 5:12 with this section, but to make it a separate paragraph.

Some other possible headings for this section are:

Believers should be patient when they suffer

Be patient; the Lord is coming (UBS)

Paragraph 5:7–9

In this paragraph, James recommended that Christians be patient even though they were suffering. He supported this by illustrating patience from ordinary life and then applying the illustration to spiritual life.

5:9a

Do not complain about one another, brothers,

My brothers, do^(plur) not grumble about one another,
Fellow-believers, do^(plur) not complain about one another.

Do not complain about one another: The Greek verb that the BSB translates as complain refers to being discontented with others and blaming them for problems. Blaming others is a way of judging them. It is accusing them of doing something wrong. So this “grumbling” leads to the consequent action mentioned in 5:9b. (See 4:11 and Matthew 7:1.)

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

Donʼt grumble against each other (NIV)

Do^(plur) not talk against your fellow believers or accuse them

one another: The phrase one another refers to other Christians. Christians should not grumble against one another. See examples above for ways to translate this.

brothers: Notice that the BSB places the word brothers at the end of 5:9a. In some languages, it is more natural to place it at the beginning of the verse. For example:

Brothers and sisters, do not complain against each other (NCV)

The word brothers last occurred in 5:7a.

5:9b

so that you will not be judged.

Otherwise, the Lord will condemn you.^(plur)
If you^(plur) do complain, the Lord will declare you to be guilty of sin.

so that you will not be judged: The Greek clause that the BSB translates literally as so that you will not be judged indicates the basis for what James wrote in 5:9a. It indicates that James’ readers will be judged if they continue grumbling about one another.

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

or you will be judged guilty (NCV)

if you^(plur) do, you will be condemned

will not be judged: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as will not be judged here describes part of the process of judging. It is the part when a judge decides and declares that a person is guilty/wrong. Connected with this decision and pronouncement is the idea that the person will be punished. Here James was saying that the Lord will declare guilty the person who grumbles about another Christian brother.

Some other ways to translate this are:

will not be condemned

will not be declared/pronounced to be wrong

will not be guilty of sin

God’s judgment here does not refer to eternal condemnation and punishment in hell. The word judged also occurs with a similar meaning in 2:12a and 2:13a. See judge, meaning 1, in the Glossary.

James did not say who would do the judging. There are two possibilities:

It is the Lord Jesus Christ.
It is God the Father. For example:
so that God will not judge you (GNT)

It is preferable that you do not distinguish between God the Father and Jesus here. So if you must say who will judge, it is recommended that you say “the Lord.” In 5:8, James said that the Lord would soon come, and in 5:9c he said that the Judge is standing at the door. It is likely that he was thinking about the same event.In 4:12 James said that there was only one Judge, God, the Lawgiver. But most commentators think that here James is thinking of Christ, who is soon to come back (see Martin, page 192; Hiebert, page 301; SSA, page 146; cf. Ropes, page 297; Laws, page 213).

5:9c

Look, the Judge is standing at the door!

The judge is arriving soon!
The one who will judge everybody is ready to come to/into our^(incl) world again!
The Lord will soon be here, and he will be the judge!

Look: In Greek, this sentence begins with a word that the BSB translates as Look and the RSV translates as “behold”. This word calls attention to something surprising. The NIV uses an exclamation mark at the end of the sentence to show this surprise.

Some other ways to translate this word are:

Do not be surprised!

Listen to this!

You should use whatever expression is natural in your language for showing surprise. This same word occurs in 5:4a–b.

the Judge: Commentators disagree as to whether the Judge refers to the Lord Jesus Christ or to God the Father. If you have made explicit who will judge in 5:9b, you will need to make sure that this refers to the same person.

If you need to make it clear that James is not referring to a human judge it is recommended that you say “the Lord.” For example:

the Lord, the one who will judge all people

See judge, meaning 1, in the Glossary.

standing at the door: This is a Greek idiom. It means “nearly here” (as in Matthew 24:33). There are at least two ways to translate this idiom:

Keep the idiom. For example:
stands before the gates! (NET)
right outside the door (CEV)
Translate the meaning. For example:
ready to appear. (GNT)
ready to come! (NCV)

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ἀδελφοί

brothers

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

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

μὴ κριθῆτε

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Μή στενάζετε ἀδελφοί κατʼ ἀλλήλων ἵνα μή κριθῆτε Ἰδού ὁ κριτής πρό τῶν θυρῶν ἕστηκεν)

If your language does not use this passive form, you can express this with an active form, and you can state who would do the action. Alternate translation: [God may not judge you]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ἰδοὺ, ὁ κριτὴς

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Μή στενάζετε ἀδελφοί κατʼ ἀλλήλων ἵνα μή κριθῆτε Ἰδού ὁ κριτής πρό τῶν θυρῶν ἕστηκεν)

The term Behold focuses the attention of a listener or reader on what a speaker or writer is about to say. Alternate translation: [Be aware that the judge]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ὁ κριτὴς πρὸ τῶν θυρῶν ἕστηκεν

the (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Μή στενάζετε ἀδελφοί κατʼ ἀλλήλων ἵνα μή κριθῆτε Ἰδού ὁ κριτής πρό τῶν θυρῶν ἕστηκεν)

James is comparing Jesus to a judge who is just about to walk into a courtroom. Alternate translation: [Jesus will soon return and judge everyone for what they have done]

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.