Open Bible Data Home About News OET Key
OET OET-RV OET-LV ULT UST BSB MSB BLB AICNT OEB WEBBE WMBB NET LSV FBV TCNT T4T LEB BBE Moff JPS Wymth ASV DRA YLT Drby RV SLT Wbstr KJB-1769 KJB-1611 Bshps Gnva Cvdl TNT Wycl SR-GNT UHB BrLXX BrTr Related Topics Parallel Interlinear Reference Dictionary Search
ParallelVerse GEN EXO LEV NUM DEU JOB JOS JDG RUTH 1 SAM 2 SAM PSA AMOS HOS 1 KI 2 KI 1 CHR 2 CHR PROV ECC SNG JOEL MIC ISA ZEP HAB JER LAM YNA (JNA) NAH OBA DAN EZE EZRA EST NEH HAG ZEC MAL LAO GES LES ESG DNG 2 PS TOB JDT WIS SIR BAR LJE PAZ SUS BEL MAN 1 MAC 2 MAC 3 MAC 4 MAC YHN (JHN) MARK MAT LUKE ACTs YAC GAL 1 TH 2 TH 1 COR 2 COR ROM COL PHM EPH PHP 1 TIM TIT 1 PET 2 PET 2 TIM HEB YUD (JUD) 1 YHN (1 JHN) 2 YHN (2 JHN) 3 YHN (3 JHN) REV
Yacob/(James) Intro C1 C2 C3 C4 C5
Yac 1 V1 V2 V3 V4 V5 V6 V7 V8 V9 V10 V11 V12 V13 V14 V15 V16 V18 V19 V20 V21 V22 V23 V24 V25 V26 V27
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.
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-LV Every 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.
![]()
SR-GNT Πᾶσα 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.)
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).
ULT Every 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.
UST Every 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!
BSB Every 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)
BLB Every 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.
AICNT 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.
OEB Every 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.
WEBBE Every 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.
NET All 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.
LSV Every 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;
FBV All 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).
TCNT Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
T4T The 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.
LEB 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 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.
BBE Every 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.
Moff all 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.
Wymth Every 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.
ASV Every 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.
DRA Every 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.
YLT every 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;
Drby Every good gift and every perfect gift comes down from above, from the Father of lights, with whom is no variation nor shadow of turning.
RV Every 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.
SLT Every 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.
Wbstr Every 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-1769 Every 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-1611 Euery 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)
Bshps Euery 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.)
Gnva Euery 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. )
Cvdl Euery 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.)
TNT Every 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. )
Wycl Ech 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.)
Luth Alle 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.)
ClVg Omne 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.
UGNT πᾶσα 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-GNT Πᾶσα 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-GNT Πᾶσα 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-GNT Πᾶσα 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).
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.
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
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.
Every good and perfect gift is from above,
Every good and perfect/complete gift comes from God above.
It is God in heaven above who gives us(incl) everything that is good and perfect/faultless.
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:
Use two different words. For example:
All generous giving and every perfect gift (NET)
every good gift and every perfect present
Use one word. For example:
Every good and perfect gift (CEV)
everything that is good and perfect
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
coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights,
He created all that shines in the heavens/sky.
He made the sun, moon, and stars that shine in the sky.
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:
Mention all three words separately. For example:
the sun, moon, and stars
Use a phrase. For example:
the things which are in the sky and shine/give light
with whom there is no change or shifting shadow.
He does not vary or change like shadows.
They move and make shadows that change, but God does not change at all.
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:
Keep the metaphor and make the meaning clear. For example:
who does not vary like the sun, moon, and stars or change like their shadows change
The Father doesn’t change like the shifting shadows produced by the sun and the moon. (GW)
Translate the meaning without the figure of speech. For example:
God’s nature/ways never change.
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.
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]