YAC 3:18 Parallel Verse View

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

OET (OET-RV) Those who desire peace sow the seeds that will produce godly behaviour.

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, 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 When people work quietly to help others get along, they can help those others to have good relationships.

3:18 Literally But the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those making peace.

AICNT And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

OEB Justice is the harvest peacemakers will reap from seeds sown in a spirit of peace.

WEBBE Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET And the fruit that consists of righteousness is planted in peace among those who make peace.

LSV and the fruit of righteousness in peace is sown to those making peace.

FBV Those who sow peace will harvest the peace of what is truly good and right.

TCNT And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

T4T Those who act peaceably toward others cause others to also act peaceably, with the result that they all live together acting toward each other in a righteous way [MET].

LEB And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace among[fn] those who make peace.

3:18 Or “for”; or possibly “by”

BBE And the fruit of righteousness is planted in peace for those who make peace.

Moff and the peacemakers who sow in peace reap righteousness.

Wymth And peace, for those who strive for peace, is the seed of which the harvest is righteousness.
¶ 

ASV And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace for them that make peace.

DRA And the fruit of justice is sown in peace, to them that make peace.

YLT and the fruit of the righteousness in peace is sown to those making peace.

Drby But [the] fruit of righteousness in peace is sown for them that make peace.

RV And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace for them that make peace.

SLT And the fruit of justice is sown in peace by those making peace.

Wbstr And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by them that make peace.

KJB-1769 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

KJB-1611 And the fruit of righteousnesse is sowen in peace, of them that make peace.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)

Bshps Yea, and the fruite of ryghteousnes is sowen in peace, of the that make peace.
(Yea, and the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace, of the that make peace.)

Gnva And the fruite of righteousnesse is sowen in peace, of them that make peace.
(And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace, of them that make peace. )

Cvdl yee, and the frute of rightewesnes is sowen in peace, of the that mayntene peace.
(ye/you_all, and the fruit of rightewesnes is sown in peace, of the that mayntene peace.)

TNT yee and the frute of rightewesnes is sowen in peace of them that mayntene peace.
(ye/you_all and the fruit of rightewesnes is sown in peace of them that mayntene peace. )

Wycl And the fruyt of riytwisnesse is sowun in pees, to men that maken pees.
(And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace, to men that making peace.)

Luth Die Frucht aber der Gerechtigkeit wird gesäet im Frieden denen, die den Frieden halten.
(The fruit but the/of_the justice becomes sown in_the peace those, the the peace hold/keep.)

ClVg Fructus autem justitiæ, in pace seminatur, facientibus pacem.[fn]
(Fructus however justice, in/into/on peace is_sown, they_will_doibus peace. )

3.18 Fructus autem. Postquam sapientiam per singulas virtutes distinxit; ut facilius invitet ad hanc, fructum ejus subjungit: In pace seminatur. Non postulat videri doctior vel sanctior quam est: non lacerat proximum ad commendationem sui, quod contentiosa facit sapientia. Non solum propter prædicta debet hujusmodi sapientiam appetere, sed etiam ideo; quia a facientibus pacem quasi jacientibus hoc semen seminatur, et præparatur in pace æternæ beatitudinis fructus, id est merces justitiæ, quæ pro justis operibus retribuitur. Qui igitur hic studet paci, et terram cordis sui operibus pacis quasi semente aspergit, justum est ut habeat æternam pacem, quasi fructum hujus seminis.

3.18 Fructus however. Postquam wisdom through each by_virtues distinxit; as easier invitet to this, fruit his subjoins: In peace is_sown. Not/No demands to_seem learnedor or sanctior how it_is: not/no lacerat next_door to recommendsionem self, that contentiosa he_does wisdom. Not/No only because aforementioned must of_this_kind wisdom appetere, but also therefore/for_that_reason; because from they_will_doibus peace as_if yacientibus this seed is_sown, and beforeparatur in/into/on peace eternal of_happiness fruit, that it_is reward/wages justice, which for just works he_reciprocatedur. Who therefore this/here studies paci, and the_earth/land of_the_heart self works of_peace as_if seedte aspergit, just it_is as have eternal peace, as_if fruit of_this seed.

UGNT καρπὸς δὲ δικαιοσύνης ἐν εἰρήνῃ σπείρεται, τοῖς ποιοῦσιν εἰρήνην.
(karpos de dikaiosunaʸs en eiraʸnaʸ speiretai, tois poiousin eiraʸnaʸn.)

SBL-GNT καρπὸς ⸀δὲ δικαιοσύνης ἐν εἰρήνῃ σπείρεται τοῖς ποιοῦσιν εἰρήνην.
(karpos ⸀de dikaiosunaʸs en eiraʸnaʸ speiretai tois poiousin eiraʸnaʸn.)

RP-GNT Καρπὸς δὲ τῆς δικαιοσύνης ἐν εἰρήνῃ σπείρεται τοῖς ποιοῦσιν εἰρήνην.
(Karpos de taʸs dikaiosunaʸs en eiraʸnaʸ speiretai tois poiousin eiraʸnaʸn.)

TC-GNT Καρπὸς δὲ [fn]τῆς δικαιοσύνης ἐν εἰρήνῃ σπείρεται τοῖς ποιοῦσιν εἰρήνην.
(Karpos de taʸs dikaiosunaʸs en eiraʸnaʸ speiretai tois poiousin eiraʸnaʸn. )

3:18 της ¦ — CT PCK

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

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 3:13–18: The wisdom of God is quite different from the wisdom of the devil

This section has three paragraphs. First, in 3:13 James introduced the topic of wisdom. Then he continued with two paragraphs. In each paragraph he discussed one type of wisdom. The first type he discussed (in 3:14–16) is the false wisdom that does not come from God. The second type he discussed (in 3:17–18) is the true wisdom that does come from God.

Some other possible headings for this section are:

True Wisdom Comes from God (NLT)

Two Kinds of Wisdom (NIV)

Paragraph 3:17–18

This paragraph discusses true wisdom. This wisdom is from God.

3:18a–b

Peacemakers who sow in peace reap the fruit of righteousness: This sentence is a proverb. It also contains a metaphor. There are at least two main issues to consider as you translate this verse.

Issue 1: How to translate naturally

This Greek sentence is more literally “the fruit/harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by the ones making peace.” It may be strange to speak of a harvest being sown. So it may be more natural to speak of sowing seeds that result in a harvest. For example:

And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness. (NLT)

Issue 2: How to translate the metaphor

The words sow and raise a harvest are a metaphor. James compared the activity of sowing (seeds) and harvesting a crop to the activity of a peacemaker. These activities are similar in that certain actions naturally lead to certain results. Just as planting a crop leads to a harvest, promoting peace among the community of believers leads to righteous actions in that community.

Some ways to translate this metaphor are:

Keep the metaphor. For example:
When peacemakers plant seeds of peace, they will harvest justice. (CEV)
And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of goodness. (NLT96)
Change the metaphor to a simile. For example:
Peacemakers are like people who plant and then harvest a crop. When they make/promote peace, it results in righteous actions.
Translate the meaning without using a metaphor. For example:
When people live peacefully and help others to be at peace, then the result is righteous actions in their lives and the lives of others.

3:18a

Peacemakers who sow in peace

When peacemakers plant seeds of peace, (CEV)
Peacemakers are like people who sow
When people live in peace and work for peace,

Peacemakers who sow in peace: The phrase who sow in peace describes all peacemakers. It does not indicate that some peacemakers sow in peace and others do not.

Some ways to make this clear are:

When people who are peacemakers sow in peace

Peacemakers, because they sow in peace

Peacemakers: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as Peacemakers is literally “those who make peace” (as in the RSV). It refers to people who:

live in peace with other people, and
help others to stop quarreling and live together peacefully.

Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

People who live peacefully and who help others to live together peacefully

People who live in peace and who help others stop quarreling

Those who are peaceful and who settle conflicts

who sow in peace: The way you translate the phrase in peace will depend on whether you keep the metaphor or translate the meaning. For example:

If you keep the metaphor, the word peace here refers to that which is sown. For example:
The peace sown by peacemakers (NJB)
When peacemakers plant seeds of peace (CEV)
If you translate the meaning, the phrase in peace refers to the manner or attitude in which peacemakers act. In other words, peacemakers do things in a manner or attitude that leads to peace between people. For example:
When people live peacefully and help others to be at peace
When people behave in a peaceable way

3:18b

reap the fruit of righteousness.

they harvest righteousness/goodness.
and then harvest a crop. When they make/promote peace, it produces righteous actions/deeds.
then the result is good deeds in their lives and the lives of others.

reap the fruit of righteousness: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as reap the fruit of righteousness is literally “a crop/harvest of righteousness.” It is a noun phrase. Some versions, like the BSB, translate it as a verb phrase. (Some other examples are below.)

The phrase the fruit of righteousness means “a harvest that consists of righteousness.” Right living that pleases God is the fruit or crop that is produced by wise people who sow peace.

The way you translate this phrase will depend on whether you keep the metaphor or translate the meaning. For example:

If you keep the metaphor, you will translate the word harvest literally. For example:
reap a harvest of righteousness (NLT)
they will harvest justice (CEV)
If you translate the meaning, you will translate the word fruit as “result” or “produce” or some similar word. For example:
then the result is righteous actions in their lives and the lives of others
it produces righteousness

righteousness: The Greek word that the BSB translates as righteousness means:

actions that are right and good in God’s sight. Righteous actions will result when people live in peace with others and promote peace.
acting in a right and fair way toward other people. Peaceful people who promote peace will reap justice in return.

Some other ways to translate this word are:

good acts/behavior

right deeds

goodness (GNT)

See righteous, meaning 1, in the Glossary.

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

καρπὸς & δικαιοσύνης ἐν εἰρήνῃ σπείρεται, τοῖς ποιοῦσιν εἰρήνην

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: καρπός Δέ δικαιοσύνης ἐν εἰρήνῃ σπείρεται τοῖς ποιοῦσιν εἰρήνην)

James speaks of those who make peace as if they were sowing seeds, and of righteousness as if it were fruit that grew from those seeds. Alternate translation: [those who work in peace to make peace produce righteousness]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

καρπὸς & δικαιοσύνης ἐν εἰρήνῃ σπείρεται, τοῖς ποιοῦσιν εἰρήνην

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: καρπός Δέ δικαιοσύνης ἐν εἰρήνῃ σπείρεται τοῖς ποιοῦσιν εἰρήνην)

If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the abstract nouns righteousness and peace by stating the ideas behind them with equivalent expressions. Alternate translation: [those who work peacefully to help people live together peacefully are helping those people to live in the right way]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

καρπὸς & δικαιοσύνης ἐν εἰρήνῃ σπείρεται, τοῖς ποιοῦσιν εἰρήνην

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: καρπός Δέ δικαιοσύνης ἐν εἰρήνῃ σπείρεται τοῖς ποιοῦσιν εἰρήνην)

If you decide to retain the metaphor of sowing, you could express it with an active verbal form, if that would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: [those who make peace sow the fruit of righteousness in peace]

Parallel YAC 3:18

Section 3:13–18: The wisdom of God is quite different from the wisdom of the devil

Paragraph 3:17–18

3:18a–b

3:18a

3:18b