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Yacob/(James) IntroC1C2C3C4C5

Yac 1 V1V2V3V4V5V6V7V8V9V10V11V12V13V14V15V16V18V19V20V21V22V23V24V25V26V27

Parallel YAC 1:17

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

BI Yac 1:17 ©

Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal(All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV)Every gift that’s good and perfect comes from heaven. It comes down from the father of lights, none of which are changing or casting moving shadows.OET logo mark

OET-LVEvery giving good, and every gift perfect from_above is, coming_down from the father of_ the _lights, with whom not there_is variation or of_shifting shadow.
OET logo mark

SR-GNTΠᾶσα δόσις ἀγαθὴ, καὶ πᾶν δώρημα τέλειον ἄνωθέν ἐστιν, καταβαῖνον ἀπὸ τοῦ Πατρὸς τῶν φώτων, παρʼ οὐκ ἔνι παραλλαγὴ τροπῆς ἀποσκίασμα.
   (Pasa dosis agathaʸ, kai pan dōraʸma teleion anōthen estin, katabainon apo tou Patros tōn fōtōn, parʼ ouk eni parallagaʸ tropaʸs aposkiasma.)

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, pink:genitive/possessor, cyan:dative/indirect object, red:negative.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULTEvery good present and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no change or shadow of turning.

USTEvery truly good and perfect gift comes from God the Father, who is in heaven. He created the sun, moon, and stars. But God does not change the way shadows change, appearing and disappearing. God never changes. He is always good!

BSBEvery good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, with whom there is no change or shifting shadow.[fn]


1:17 Or no change or shadow of turning.

MSB (Same as BSB above including footnotes)

BLBEvery good act of giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of shifting.


AICNTEvery good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

OEBEvery good thing given us, and every perfect gift, is from above, and comes down to us from the Father of the lights in the heavens, who is himself never subject to change or to eclipse.

CSB Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

NLT Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.

NIV Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

CEV Every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father who created all the lights in the heavens. He is always the same and never makes dark shadows by changing.

ESV Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

NASB Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.

LSB Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.

WEBBEEvery good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation nor turning shadow.

WMBB (Same as above)

MSG(16-18)So, my very dear friends, don’t get thrown off course. Every desirable and beneficial gift comes out of heaven. The gifts are rivers of light cascading down from the Father of Light. There is nothing deceitful in God, nothing two-faced, nothing fickle. He brought us to life using the true Word, showing us off as the crown of all his creatures.

NETAll generous giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or the slightest hint of change.

LSVEvery good giving, and every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variation, or shadow of turning;

FBVAll that's good, every perfect gift, is from above, and comes down from the Father who made heaven's lights. Unlike them he doesn't change—he doesn't vary or cause shadows.[fn]


1:17 James seems to be referring to the varying movements of heavenly bodies and eclipses (shadows).

TCNTEvery good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.

T4TThe truth is that God, our heavenly Father [MTY], does only good [DOU] things for us, in order to help us become all that he intends us to be. He is not like all the things in the sky that he created to give light, because they change; that is, they do not shine the same all the time. But God never changes. He is always good.

LEBEvery good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of change.

NRSV Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

NKJV Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.

NAB all good giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no alteration or shadow caused by change.

BBEEvery good and true thing is given to us from heaven, coming from the Father of lights, with whom there is no change or any shade made by turning.

Moffall we are given is good, and all our endowments are faultless, descending from above, from the Father of the heavenly lights, who knows no change of rising and setting, who casts no shadow on the earth.

WymthEvery gift which is good, and every perfect boon, is from above, and comes down from the Father, who is the source of all Light. In Him there is no variation nor the slightest suggestion of change.

ASVEvery good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, neither shadow that is cast by turning.

DRAEvery best gift, and every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no change, nor shadow of alteration.

YLTevery good giving, and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the lights, with whom is no variation, or shadow of turning;

DrbyEvery good gift and every perfect gift comes down from above, from the Father of lights, with whom is no variation nor shadow of turning.

RVEvery good gift and every perfect boon is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, neither shadow that is cast by turning.

SLTEvery good donation and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom not one change, or shadow of turning.

WbstrEvery good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

KJB-1769Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
   (Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh/comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. )

KJB-1611Euery good gift, and euery perfect gift is from aboue, & commeth downe from the Father of lights, with whom is no variablenesse, neither shadow of turning.
   (Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)

BshpsEuery good geuyng, and euery perfect gyft is from aboue, and cometh downe from the father of lyghtes, with who is no variablenes, neither shadow of turnyng.
   (Every good geuing, and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh/comes down from the father of lights, with who is no variablenes, neither shadow of turning.)

GnvaEuery good giuing, and euery perfect gift is from aboue, and commeth downe from the Father of lights, with whome is no variablenes, neither shadow of turning.
   (Every good giuing, and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh/comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variablenes, neither shadow of turning. )

CvdlEuery good gifte, & euery parfait gift, is from aboue, and cometh downe from ye father of light, with whom is no variablenes, nether is he chaunged vnto darcknes.
   (Every good gifte, and every parfait gift, is from above, and cometh/comes down from ye/you_all father of light, with whom is no variablenes, neither is he changed unto darcknes.)

TNTEvery good gyfte and every parfayt gyft is from above and commeth doune from the father of light with whom is no variablenes nether is he chaunged vnto darcknes.
   (Every good gifte and every parfayt gift is from above and cometh/comes down from the father of light with whom is no variablenes neither is he changed unto darcknes. )

WyclEch good yifte, and ech perfit yifte is from aboue, and cometh doun fro the fadir of liytis, anentis whom is noon other chaungyng, ne ouerschadewyng of reward.
   (Each good yifte, and each perfect gift is from above, and cometh/comes down from the father of lights, towards whom is noon other changing, nor overschadewing of reward.)

LuthAlle gute Gabe und alle vollkommene Gabe kommt von oben herab, von dem Vater des Lichts, bei welchem ist keine Veränderung noch Wechsel des Lichts und Finsternis.
   (All good gift/present and all completely/perfectlye gift/present comes from above down, from to_him father the light(n)s, at/in which_one is no Veränderung still Wechsel the light(n)s and darkness.)

ClVgOmne datum optimum, et omne donum perfectum desursum est, descendens a Patre luminum, apud quem non est transmutatio, nec vicissitudinis obumbratio.[fn]
   (Everything given/present(n) optimum, and everything a_gift/present/donation perfect desursum it_is, descending from Father of_lights, at which not/no it_is transmutatio, but_not villagessitudinis obumbratio. )


1.17 Omne datum, etc. BED. Postquam docuit quod vitia non a Deo nobis, sed a nobis sunt, etc., usque ad donum perfectum potest intelligi. Nec vicissitudinis. Lumen ejus aliqua umbra non interdicit, ut aliqua mala immittat. Semper bona lucis sunt in Deo, sed ejus dona in nobis aliquando sunt quæ supervenientia obumbrant peccata.


1.17 Everything given/present(n), etc. BED. Postquam taught that vices not/no from to_God us, but from us are, etc., until to a_gift/present/donation perfect can to_be_understood. Neither villagessitudinis. Lumen his some shadow not/no interdicit, as some evil immittat. Semper good(s) light are in/into/on to_God, but his gifts in/into/on us sometimes are which supervenientia obumbrant sins.

UGNTπᾶσα δόσις ἀγαθὴ, καὶ πᾶν δώρημα τέλειον, ἄνωθέν ἐστιν, καταβαῖνον ἀπὸ τοῦ Πατρὸς τῶν φώτων, παρ’ ᾧ οὐκ ἔνι παραλλαγὴ ἢ τροπῆς ἀποσκίασμα.
   (pasa dosis agathaʸ, kai pan dōraʸma teleion, anōthen estin, katabainon apo tou Patros tōn fōtōn, par’ hō ouk eni parallagaʸ aʸ tropaʸs aposkiasma.)

SBL-GNTΠᾶσα δόσις ἀγαθὴ καὶ πᾶν δώρημα τέλειον ἄνωθέν ἐστιν, καταβαῖνον ἀπὸ τοῦ πατρὸς τῶν φώτων, παρʼ ᾧ οὐκ ἔνι παραλλαγὴ ἢ τροπῆς ἀποσκίασμα.
   (Pasa dosis agathaʸ kai pan dōraʸma teleion anōthen estin, katabainon apo tou patros tōn fōtōn, parʼ hō ouk eni parallagaʸ aʸ tropaʸs aposkiasma.)

RP-GNTΠᾶσα δόσις ἀγαθὴ καὶ πᾶν δώρημα τέλειον ἄνωθέν ἐστιν, καταβαῖνον ἀπὸ τοῦ πατρὸς τῶν φώτων, παρ' ᾧ οὐκ ἔνι παραλλαγή, ἢ τροπῆς ἀποσκίασμα.
   (Pasa dosis agathaʸ kai pan dōraʸma teleion anōthen estin, katabainon apo tou patros tōn fōtōn, par' hō ouk eni parallagaʸ, aʸ tropaʸs aposkiasma.)

TC-GNTΠᾶσα δόσις ἀγαθὴ καὶ πᾶν δώρημα τέλειον ἄνωθέν ἐστι, καταβαῖνον ἀπὸ τοῦ πατρὸς τῶν φώτων, παρ᾽ ᾧ οὐκ ἔνι παραλλαγή, ἢ τροπῆς ἀποσκίασμα.
   (Pasa dosis agathaʸ kai pan dōraʸma teleion anōthen esti, katabainon apo tou patros tōn fōtōn, par hō ouk eni parallagaʸ, aʸ tropaʸs aposkiasma. )

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs, red:words differ (from our SR-GNT base).


TSNTyndale Study Notes:

1:17 God is the Father of lights (see footnote) since he created everything in the heavens (Gen 1:3, 14-17). In contrast to the moving lights in the heavens, God never changes or casts a shifting shadow.


SOTNSIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 1:12–18: God does not tempt people to do evil

This section has an opening verse (1:12)Some commentators connect 1:12 to 1:2–11 (Hiebert, for example). Others see 1:12 as a kind of “hinge” that connects 1:2–11 to 1:12–18 (Moo (2000), pages 71–72; McCartney, page 100). They recognize that 1:2–3 and 1:12 form an inclusio, or verbal bracket to 1:2–12 through the repetition in both of three key words: trials (πειρασμοῖς/πειρασμόν), testing (δοκίμιον/δόκιμος), and endurance (ὑπομονήν/ὑπομένει). and two main paragraphs (1:13–15 and 1:16–18). In 1:12 James recalled 1:2–3 and that it was important to persevere in times of trial and temptation. The next paragraph, 1:13–15, points out that it is not God who tempts us but our own sinful desires, which eventually lead to death. Paragraph 1:16–18 reinforces this by saying that God gives only good gifts.

Some other possible headings for this section are:

Christians should endure testing and temptations

Trials and temptations

Paragraph 1:16–18

This paragraph gives more reasons that show why it is not God who tries to make people do evil. Everything good comes from God, and he never changes. So it is unthinkable that any bad thing could come from him. God wants to give us new life.

1:17a

Every good and perfect gift is from above,

Every good and perfect gift: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as Every good and perfect gift contains two words for gift. For example:

Every good gift and every perfect gift (ESV)

The two words for “gift” are almost the same in meaning. James was probably quoting a piece of poetry or a proverb that repeated the phrase for emphasis.

There are two ways to translate this phrase:

perfect gift: The Greek word that the BSB translates as perfect refers to something that is complete and full. It does not lack anything. (See the notes on 1:4b and 1:4c.) So a perfect gift is a gift that has no faults in it.

Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

faultless gift

everything that is perfect

is from above: The phrase is from above means that every good gift comes from God in heaven. In some languages, it may be necessary to say explicitly that God is the one who gives everything that is good and perfect. For example:

is from God (NCV)

comes from God above

is given by God

1:17b

coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights,

the Father of the heavenly lights: The phrase the heavenly lights refers to the lights that are in the heavens: the sun, moon, and stars. God is called the Father of the heavenly lights because he created the heavenly lights. He is also called the Father of the heavenly lights because he has the nature of light, which is a symbol of goodness.

In some languages, Father may be totally unclear here. If that is the case in your language, you could translate it as “Creator.” For example:

God, the Creator of the heavenly lights. (GNT)

the heavenly lights: The Greek word that the BSB translates as heavenly lights here refers to the sun, moon (see Genesis 1:16), and stars. In other words, this word refers to the things in the sky that give light.

Many languages do not have a general word that includes the sun, moon, and stars. If that is the case in your language, you could:

1:17c

with whom there is no change or shifting shadow.

with whom there is no change or shifting shadow: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as change or shifting shadow is a metaphor. James was contrasting the lights in the sky with God. The sun, moon, and stars change their position in the sky and cause shadows that also move. In contrast to this, God never changes. Use a word for shadow that does not only refer to the shadow of people.The Greek word, ἀποσκίασμα, that is translated as “shadow” is a rare word and not the typical word for shadow. There are quite a variety of suggestions put forward by commentators for its meaning including: shadows cast by heavenly bodies, the “shadow” of night, the phases of the moon, and shadows caused by an eclipse. Elsewhere in Greek literature the word can describe the changing shadows of the moon and the moving shadow of a sundial (see McCartney, page 112). Also, be careful not to use a word for shadow that refers to the spirit of a person.

Some ways to translate this phrase are:

no change or shifting shadow: The Greek words that the BSB translates as change and shifting are similar in meaning. Both words were commonly used to describe the changing appearance and movement of the sun, moon, and stars.There is a textual variant here. In place of “with whom there is not change or shadow of turning” some Greek manuscripts read “with whom there is not change which is of a turning/changing shadow.” The variant reading is followed by the REB. Some other versions (GW, NCV, NIV, NJB) may also be following this reading. However, they may just be combining the two references to change in one expression. The general meaning of 1:17c is similar whichever reading is followed.

If possible, use a word that you would naturally use to describe the “changes” of the sun, moon, and stars. To make it clear that James is contrasting God to the sun, moon, and stars, you could say:

who, unlike the sun, moon, and stars, does not change or move like shadows.


UTNuW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

πᾶσα δόσις ἀγαθὴ, καὶ πᾶν δώρημα τέλειον, ἄνωθέν ἐστιν

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Πάσα δόσις ἀγαθή καί παν δώρημα τέλειον ἄνωθεν ἐστίν καταβαῖνον ἀπό τοῦ Πατρός τῶν φώτων πάρʼ ᾧ οὐκ ἔνι παραλλαγή ἤ τροπῆς ἀποσκίασμα)

Here, from above is a spatial metaphor that describes God. Alternate translation: [God gives us every good present and every perfect gift]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / doublet

πᾶσα δόσις ἀγαθὴ, καὶ πᾶν δώρημα τέλειον, ἄνωθέν ἐστιν

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Πάσα δόσις ἀγαθή καί παν δώρημα τέλειον ἄνωθεν ἐστίν καταβαῖνον ἀπό τοῦ Πατρός τῶν φώτων πάρʼ ᾧ οὐκ ἔνι παραλλαγή ἤ τροπῆς ἀποσκίασμα)

The phrases good present and perfect gift mean similar things. James is using them together for emphasis. (As in [1:4](../01/04.md), the word perfect refers to something that has developed to the point where it is fully suited to its purpose.) If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this connection by translating both phrases with a single expression. Alternate translation: [God gives us the things that are just right for us]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

καταβαῖνον ἀπὸ

coming_down (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Πάσα δόσις ἀγαθή καί παν δώρημα τέλειον ἄνωθεν ἐστίν καταβαῖνον ἀπό τοῦ Πατρός τῶν φώτων πάρʼ ᾧ οὐκ ἔνι παραλλαγή ἤ τροπῆς ἀποσκίασμα)

Continuing the spatial metaphor, James speaks of these gifts coming down from God. If you translate this plainly, it may be helpful to begin a new sentence here. Alternate translation: [They come to us from]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

τοῦ Πατρὸς τῶν φώτων

the (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Πάσα δόσις ἀγαθή καί παν δώρημα τέλειον ἄνωθεν ἐστίν καταβαῖνον ἀπό τοῦ Πατρός τῶν φώτων πάρʼ ᾧ οὐκ ἔνι παραλλαγή ἤ τροπῆς ἀποσκίασμα)

Here, lights likely means the lights in the sky, that is, the sun, moon, and stars. James says that God is their Father because he created them. Alternate translation: [God, who created all the lights in the sky]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / doublet

παρ’ ᾧ οὐκ ἔνι παραλλαγὴ ἢ τροπῆς ἀποσκίασμα

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Πάσα δόσις ἀγαθή καί παν δώρημα τέλειον ἄνωθεν ἐστίν καταβαῖνον ἀπό τοῦ Πατρός τῶν φώτων πάρʼ ᾧ οὐκ ἔνι παραλλαγή ἤ τροπῆς ἀποσκίασμα)

Here, change and shadow of turning mean similar things. James is using repetition for emphasis. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could combine them into a single phrase and express the metaphor of a shadow (See: later note) as a simile. It may also be helpful to begin a new sentence here. Alternate translation: [God does not change as shifting shadows do]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

τροπῆς ἀποσκίασμα

˱of˲_shifting shadow

James is using the possessive form to describe a shadow that is characterized by turning. Alternate translation: [shadow that turns] or [shadow that changes position]

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

τροπῆς ἀποσκίασμα

˱of˲_shifting shadow

James is contrasting God, the Creator of the lights in the sky, with those lights themselves, which are not as great as their Creator. They create shadows that change position, but God never deviates from wanting only good things for people. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state that explicitly. Alternate translation: [turning shadow such as the sun or moon casts. No, God always wants good things for people]

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

τροπῆς ἀποσκίασμα

˱of˲_shifting shadow

There could not literally be a shadow in God, so this is a metaphor. Alternate translation: [variability]

BI Yac 1:17 ©