YAC 1:9 Parallel Verse View

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=none Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, pink:genitive/possessor, cyan:dative/indirect object.
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).

UST Believers who do not have much money should be glad, because God has honored them.

AICNT Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation,

OEB Let a follower in humble circumstances be proud of their exalted position,

WEBBE Let the brother in humble circumstances glory in his high position;

WMBB (Same as above)

NET Now the believer of humble means should take pride in his high position.

LSV And let the brother who is low rejoice in his exaltation,

FBV Believers who are born poor should take pride in the high position they've been given,

TCNT The lowly brother should rejoice in being exalted,

T4T Believers who are poor should be happy that God considers them very valuable (OR, has exalted them spiritually) [MTY].

LEB Now let the brother of humble circumstances boast in his high position,

BBE But let the brother of low position be glad that he is lifted up;

Moff Let a brother of low position exult when he is raised;

Wymth Let a brother in humble life rejoice when raised to a higher position;

ASV But let the brother of low degree glory in his high estate:

DRA But let the brother of low condition glory in his exaltation:

YLT And let the brother who is low rejoice in his exaltation,

Drby But let the brother of low degree glory in his elevation,

RV But let the brother of low degree glory in his high estate:

SLT And let the humble brother boast in his elevation:

Wbstr Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:

KJB-1769 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:

KJB-1611 Let the brother of low degree, [fn]reioyce in that he is exalted:
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation and footnotes)

1:9 Or, glory.

Bshps Let the brother of lowe degree, reioyce in that he is exalted:
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)

Gnva Let the brother of lowe degree reioyce in that he is exalted:
(Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted: )

Cvdl Let the brother of lowe degre reioyce, in yt he is exalted:
(Let the brother of low degree rejoice, in it he is exalted:)

TNT Let the brother of lowe degre reioyce in that he is exalted
(Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted )

Wycl And a meke brother haue glorie in his enhaunsyng,
(And a meek brother have glory in his enhaunsing,)

Luth Ein Bruder aber, der niedrig ist, rühme sich seiner Höhe,
(A brother but, the/of_the neverdrig is, boast/praise itself/yourself/themselves his Höhe,)

ClVg Glorietur autem frater humilis in exaltatione sua:
(Glorietur however brother humble in/into/on exaltsione his_own: )

UGNT καυχάσθω δὲ ὁ ἀδελφὸς ὁ ταπεινὸς, ἐν τῷ ὕψει αὐτοῦ;
(kauⱪasthō de ho adelfos ho tapeinos, en tōi hupsei autou;)

SBL-GNT Καυχάσθω δὲ ὁ ἀδελφὸς ὁ ταπεινὸς ἐν τῷ ὕψει αὐτοῦ,
(Kauⱪasthō de ho adelfos ho tapeinos en tōi hupsei autou,)

RP-GNT Καυχάσθω δὲ ὁ ἀδελφὸς ὁ ταπεινὸς ἐν τῷ ὕψει αὐτοῦ·
(Kauⱪasthō de ho adelfos ho tapeinos en tōi hupsei autou;)

TC-GNT Καυχάσθω δὲ ὁ ἀδελφὸς ὁ ταπεινὸς ἐν τῷ ὕψει αὐτοῦ·
(Kauⱪasthō de ho adelfos ho tapeinos en tōi hupsei autou; )

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

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 1:2–11: James encouraged believers to continue to trust God during times of testing

The theme of this section is that it is important for Christians to continue to trust God when going through various kinds of trials or difficulties. These trials are a test of their faith (1:2–4). They need God’s wisdom in order to remain faithful to him, and so they should pray for wisdom (1:5). When they come to God in prayer, they should have an attitude of firm trust in him (1:6–8). Both poverty and wealth test a Christian. They should trust God whether rich or poor and learn to think about poverty and wealth as God does (1:9–11).

Some other possible headings for this section are:

Have faith and wisdom

When you have trials/tests, you must trust God

Be joyful when your faith is tested

Paragraph 1:9–11

Even if a Christian has a low position in society, he can rejoice. He can rejoice because, in God’s opinion, he is in a high position. Similarly, a Christian who is rich should have God’s opinion about himself. Although rich people are generally given high status because of their riches, rich Christians should rather value a low position and humble attitude. They should remember that our lives on earth are short and that riches will not last.

The theme of section 1:2–11 is that Christians should continue to trust God/Jesus when they have various kinds of tests/trials. Poverty is a kind of trial. It is also the result of the trial of being persecuted. Riches too may be a kind of test of faith. They test whether the Christian will trust God or his money. And for rich Christians who had lost wealth and status because of their faith in Christ, they should think of this in a positive way.

1:9a

The brother in humble circumstances

¶ A believer who is lowly/unimportant
¶ Believers who are poor (NLT)

The brother: The word brother refers to any believer, whether male or female. Notice that although James used a singular noun, he was not referring to one person in particular. He was referring to poor believers in general. Consider whether it is more natural to use a singular or plural term here in your language.

Some other ways to translate this word are:

the believer (NET)

fellow believers

Any of God’s people (CEV)

The plural form of this same word occurs in 1:2a.

in humble circumstances: The Greek word that the BSB translates as in humble circumstances literally means “lowly” (as in the RSV). It refers to someone who is in a low position in society and whom others consider to be unimportant. It includes the idea of such a person being poor. So the person in humble circumstances is contrasted to “the one who is rich” in 1:10a.

Some other ways to translate this word are:

who are poor (GNT)

who is unimportant

who has a low status

1:9b

should exult in his high position.

should be glad/joyful that he is raised/honored by God.
should rejoice because/that they are important to God.

should exult: The Greek word that the BSB translates as should exult usually means “boast.” In other words, it usually refers to talking about something that you are proud of. It can have either a positive or negative meaning.

Here it is clearly positive, and it refers to a way of thinking. Lowly, poor believers should “think very well of” or “highly value” their high position. This is because God thinks of them very highly and will reward them in the future.

Some other ways to translate this word are:

be glad (GNT)

think well/highly of

highly value

rejoice (KJV)

in his high position: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as in his high position refers to his spiritual status as a Christian. Although other people may not consider a poor believer important, he is still important to God. This is what should give him pride and pleasure.

Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

that he is important to God

in his high status as a Christian

for God has honored them (NLT)

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

καυχάσθω δὲ ὁ ἀδελφὸς ὁ ταπεινὸς

˓let_be˒_boasting (Some words not found in SR-GNT: καυχάσθω Δέ ὁ ἀδελφός ὁ ταπεινός ἐν τῷ ὕψει αὐτοῦ)

James assumes that his readers will understand that he is using the word boast in a positive sense. He does not mean it in the sinful sense of bragging or vaunting oneself over others. You could include this information if that would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: [Now let the lowly brother take satisfaction]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ὁ ἀδελφὸς ὁ ταπεινὸς

the ¬the (Some words not found in SR-GNT: καυχάσθω Δέ ὁ ἀδελφός ὁ ταπεινός ἐν τῷ ὕψει αὐτοῦ)

Since James contrasts this person with “the rich” in the next verse, he is using the word lowly as a spatial metaphor to mean “poor.” Alternate translation: [a believer who is poor]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ἀδελφὸς

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: καυχάσθω Δέ ὁ ἀδελφός ὁ ταπεινός ἐν τῷ ὕψει αὐτοῦ)

James is using the term brother to refer to a fellow believer in Jesus. See how you translated brothers in [1:2](../01/02.md). Alternate translation: [believer]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

τῷ ὕψει αὐτοῦ

the height ˱of˲_him

If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea behind the abstract noun exaltation with an equivalent phrase. Alternate translation: [the high place he occupies]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

τῷ ὕψει αὐτοῦ

the height ˱of˲_him

James is using a spatial metaphor to describe poor believers as if they were in a high place. He wants to convey that God has shown special concern for them. Alternate translation: [the special concern that God has shown for him]

Parallel YAC 1:9

Section 1:2–11: James encouraged believers to continue to trust God during times of testing

Paragraph 1:9–11

1:9a

1:9b