YAC 3:1 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, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor, magenta:vocative.
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 Do not become many teachers, my brothers, knowing that we will receive greater judgment.

UST My fellow believers, most of you should not desire to become teachers of God’s word. As you know, God will judge us teachers more severely than he will judge other people.

BLB Not many of you should be teachers my brothers, knowing that we will receive greater judgment.

AICNT Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, knowing that we will receive greater judgment.

OEB Not many of you should become teachers, my friends, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly than others.

WEBBE Let not many of you be teachers, my brothers, knowing that we will receive heavier judgement.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, because you know that we will be judged more strictly.

LSV Do not let many be teachers, my brothers, having known that we will receive greater judgment,

FBV My friends, not many of you should become teachers, because you know that we who teach will have a heavier responsibility in the judgment.

TCNT Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.

T4T My fellow believers, not many of you should desire to become teachers of God’s truth, because you know that God will judge us (exc), who teach others, more severely than he will judge other people.

LEB Not many should become teachers, my brothers, because you[fn] know that we will receive a greater judgment.[fn]

3:1 *Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“know”) which is understood as causal

3:1 Or “greater condemnation”

BBE Do not all be teachers, my brothers, because we teachers will be judged more hardly than others.

Moff My brothers, do not swell the ranks of the teachers; remember, we teachers will be judged with special strictness.

Wymth Do not be eager, my brethren, for many among you to become teachers; for you know that we teachers shall undergo severer judgement.

ASV Be not many of you teachers, my brethren, knowing that we shall receive heavier judgment.

DRA Be ye not many masters, my brethren, knowing that you receive the greater judgment.

YLT Many teachers become not, my brethren, having known that greater judgment we shall receive,

Drby Be not many teachers, my brethren, knowing that we shall receive greater judgment.

RV Be not many teachers, my brethren, knowing that we shall receive heavier judgment.
(Be not many teachers, my brethren/brothers, knowing that we shall receive heavier judgement. )

SLT Be ye not many teachers, my brethren, knowing that we shall receive the greater judgment.

Wbstr My brethren, be not many teachers, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.

KJB-1769 My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.
(My brethren/brothers, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. )

KJB-1611 ¶ My brethren, bee not many masters, knowing that we shall receiue the greater [fn]condemnation.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation and footnotes)

3:1 Or, iudgement.

Bshps My brethren, be not manie maisters, knowyng howe that we shall receaue the greater damnation:
(My brethren/brothers, be not manie masters, knowing how that we shall receive the greater damnation:)

Gnva My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receiue the greater condemnation.
(My brethren/brothers, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. )

Cvdl My brethre, be not euery man a master, remebrynge how that we shall receaue the more damnacion:
(My brethren/brothers, be not every man a master, remebring how that we shall receive the more damnacion:)

TNT My brethren, be not every man a master remembringe how that we shall receave the more damnacion:
(My brethren/brothers, be not every man a master remembringe how that we shall receive the more damnacion: )

Wycl Mi britheren, nyle ye be maad many maistris, witynge that ye taken the more doom.
(My brethren/brothers, won’t ye/you_all be made many masterys, witing that ye/you_all taken the more judgement.)

Luth Liebe Brüder, unterwinde sich nicht jedermann, Lehrer zu sein; und wisset, daß wir desto mehr Urteil empfangen werden.
(love(n) brothers, unterwinde itself/yourself/themselves not anyone, teacher to/for be; and know, that we/us the_more more verdict received become.)

ClVg Nolite plures magistri fieri fratres mei, scientes quoniam majus judicium sumitis.[fn]
(Don't many teachers to_be_done brothers my/mine, knowing since/because greater judgement you(pl)_take. )

3.1 Nolite. Sicut monui vos ad opera facienda, sic moneo ad vitanda stulta magisteria. Nolite plures. Multi fuere temporibus apostolorum, qui descendentes de Judæa Antiochiam, non bene eruditi in lege fidei, docebant, credentes ex gentibus debere circumcidi, et alios errores inducebant, quæ veris prædicatoribus non parvum laborem quæstionis contulerunt. Hos ergo ab officio verbi removet, ne impediant veros prædicatores. Majus. BED. Qui indoctus officium docendi usurpat, et Christum non sinceriter nuntiat, majorem damnationem meretur quam si solus suo scelere periret; sicut contra, qui bene ministrat, gradum sibi bonum acquirit.

3.1 Nolite. Like monui you(pl) to works to_be_done, so moneo to vitanda stupid teacheria. Don't many. Multi were times of_the_apostles, who/which descendentes from/about Yudea Antiochiam, not/no well instructsi in/into/on lawfully of_faith, teachbant, believers from nations to_have_to circumcidi, and others errors inducebant, which in_spring preachers not/no parvum work questionis conthey_took. Hos therefore away officio words removet, not impediant indeed/howevers preachers. Mayus. BED. Who indoctus office to_teach usurpat, and Christ/Messiah not/no sinceriter nuntiat, greater damnation deserves how when/but_if alone his_own criminally to_perisht; like contra, who/which well serves, levelm to_himself good acquirit.

UGNT μὴ πολλοὶ διδάσκαλοι γίνεσθε, ἀδελφοί μου, εἰδότες ὅτι μεῖζον κρίμα λημψόμεθα.
(maʸ polloi didaskaloi ginesthe, adelfoi mou, eidotes hoti meizon krima laʸmpsometha.)

SBL-GNT Μὴ πολλοὶ διδάσκαλοι γίνεσθε, ἀδελφοί μου, εἰδότες ὅτι μεῖζον κρίμα λημψόμεθα·
(Maʸ polloi didaskaloi ginesthe, adelfoi mou, eidotes hoti meizon krima laʸmpsometha;)

RP-GNT Μὴ πολλοὶ διδάσκαλοι γίνεσθε, ἀδελφοί μου, εἰδότες ὅτι μεῖζον κρίμα ληψόμεθα.
(Maʸ polloi didaskaloi ginesthe, adelfoi mou, eidotes hoti meizon krima laʸpsometha.)

TC-GNT Μὴ πολλοὶ διδάσκαλοι γίνεσθε, ἀδελφοί μου, εἰδότες ὅτι μεῖζον κρίμα [fn]ληψόμεθα.
(Maʸ polloi didaskaloi ginesthe, adelfoi mou, eidotes hoti meizon krima laʸpsometha. )

3:1 ληψομεθα ¦ λημψομεθα CT

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

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 3:1–12: Believers must be careful what they say

In this section, James warned believers to be careful with their speech. When believers do not control what they say, it can have a devastating, evil impact. This was an especially serious danger for those who taught others in the church. James reinforced his warning with a series of comparisons or illustrations to show how important it is that Christians control their speech.

Introduction

3:1–2a: Becoming a teacher in the church is a serious thing to do

The tongue is compared to small things which have large effects

3:2b–3	A small bit can turn a horse
3:4–5c	A small rudder can turn a sailing ship
3:5d–6	A small fire can destroy much
3:7–8	Animals can be tamed but not our tongues

Each of us should be consistent in using our tongue for good

3:9–10	The tongue should not be used for both blessing and cursing
3:11	Springs produce one kind of water
3:12	Trees produce one kind of fruit

Some other possible headings for this section are:

We must control our speechTranslator’s Handbook on James, page 100.

Controlling the things we say (NCV)

Paragraph 3:1

This paragraph introduces this next section. James warned that it is a serious matter when a person becomes a teacher in the church.

3:1a

Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers,

¶ My brothers, not many of you^(plur) should become religious teachers,
¶ My fellow believers, only a few of you^(plur) should teach others in the church.

Not many of you should become teachers: In Greek, this sentence is literally “be not many teachers.” Many ambitious people wanted to have the honor of being a religious teacher. However, James told them that not all of them should be eager to become teachers.

Some other ways to translate this sentence are:

not many of you should become teachers in the church (NLT)

we should not all try to become teachers (CEV)

only a few of you should try to become teachers

Not many of you: The phrase Not many of you means “only some of you,” or “only a few of you.” Most of James’ readers should not try to become teachers.

teachers: The word teachers refers to those who had authority to teach in the church. They instructed other Christians in the meaning of what God had said in his word and how they should live.

Here the word teachers does not refer to a teacher in a school. This word refers only to people who teach the word of God and the good news about Jesus Christ. If many people in your area would confuse this and think of teachers of other subjects, then it may be necessary to make explicit what the teachers teach in this context. For example:

teachers in the church (NLT)

people who teach the word of God

people who teach the Christian faith/belief

my brothers: The phrase my brothers refers to other believers in Christ to whom James was writing. In the time of James, all the teachers were men. So here, this phrase does not include women as it does in 1:2a, 1:16, 1:19a, 2:1a, 2:5a, and 2:14a.

Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

My fellow believers

My Christian friends

My relatives in Christ

Here James used the phrase my brothers to introduce the topic of the need for believers to control their speech. If you have another way in your language to introduce a change of topic, you may use it here.

Notice that the BSB places the phrase my brothers in the middle of 3:1. This follows the Greek text. In some languages, it may be more natural to place it at the beginning. For example:

My friends, not many of you should become teachers… (REB)

This same phrase occurs in 1:2a.

3:1b

because you know that

because you^(plur) know that
You^(plur) already know that

because you know that: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as because you know that is literally “knowing that.” This phrase introduces the reason for the statement in 3:1a. In some languages, it will be natural to follow the example of the BSB.

Some other ways to translate the phrase “knowing that” are:

you know (RSV)

Remember (JBP)

you may be certain (REB)

3:1c

we who teach will be judged more strictly.

we^(excl) teachers will be judged more strictly than others.
God will evaluate/examine us^(excl) who teach God’s word more severely/harshly than those who are not teachers.

we who teach: The word we refers to all teachers of God’s word. It includes James. It does not include all of James’ readers.

will be judged more strictly: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as will be judged more strictly means “will be examined and punished according to a stricter standard.” This refers to the day when God will judge all human beings. Teachers in the church will be judged more strictly than those who are not teachers. God will judge what they teach and how well their actions correspond to what they teach.

Here, the word judged does not refer to God judging unbelievers and condemning them eternally to hell.

Some ways to translate this are:

will be judged by a much higher standard (JBP)

will be evaluated/assessed more strictly than those who are not teachers

will receive more severe punishment if we fail

The BSB uses a passive verb. Some ways to translate this word are:

Use a passive verb. For example:
will be judged with greater strictness than others (GNT)
Use an active verb. For example:
God will judge us more strictly
Translate judged as a noun. For example:
will receive more severe judgment

UTN uW Translation Notes:

μὴ πολλοὶ διδάσκαλοι γίνεσθε

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Μή πολλοί διδάσκαλοι γίνεσθε ἀδελφοί μού εἰδότες ὅτι μεῖζον κρίμα λημψόμεθα)

Alternate translation: [Not many of you should become teachers]

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ἀδελφοί μου

brothers (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Μή πολλοί διδάσκαλοι γίνεσθε ἀδελφοί μού εἰδότες ὅτι μεῖζον κρίμα λημψόμεθα)

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

εἰδότες ὅτι

˓having˒_known that

Alternate translation: [since you know that]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / exclusive

μεῖζον κρίμα λημψόμεθα

greater judgment ˱we˲_˓will_be˒_receiving

James is speaking of himself and other teachers but not of his readers, so the pronoun we is exclusive here. Alternate translation: [we who teach will receive greater judgment]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit