YAC 4:1 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=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) Where do you imagine that the fights and quarrels among you all originate? Isn’t it because of the ambitions that surface inside you?

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 From where are wars and from where are battles among you? Are they not from there, from your lusts, the ones fighting in your members?

UST I will tell you why you are fighting among yourselves and quarreling with each other. It is because each of you inwardly desires to do evil things. Those desires lead you to fight in order to be able to do those things.

BSB What [causes] conflicts and quarrels among you? Don’t [they] [come] from [the] passions at war within you?[fn]

4:1 Literally passions warring among your members?

BLB From where come quarrels and from where conflicts among you? Is it not from there, out of your passions warring in your members?

AICNT Where do wars and [where do][fn] fights among you come from? Is it not from your pleasures that wage war in your members?

4:1, where do: Absent from some manuscripts. BYZ TR

OEB ¶ What is the cause of the fighting and quarrelling that goes on among you? Isn’t it to be found in the desires which are always at war within you?

WEBBE Where do wars and fightings amongst you come from? Don’t they come from your pleasures that war in your members?

WMBB (Same as above)

NET Where do the conflicts and where do the quarrels among you come from? Is it not from this, from your passions that battle inside you?

LSV From where [are] wars and fightings among you? [Is it] not from here, out of your passions warring in your members?

FBV Where do the fights and quarrels you're having come from? Aren't they due to the sensual passions that are in conflict within you?

TCNT Where do wars and [fn]fights among you come from? Do they not come from your passions that wage war among your members?

4:1 fights ¦ where do fights CT

T4T Now I will tell you why you are fighting among yourselves and quarreling with each other [RHQ]. It is [RHQ] because each of you wants to do evil things [PRS]. You keep on wanting to do things that are not what God wants you to do.

LEB From where are conflicts and from where are quarrels among you? Is it not from this, from your pleasures that wage war among your members?

BBE What is the cause of wars and fighting among you? is it not in your desires which are at war in your bodies?

Moff Where do conflicts, where do wrangles come from, in your midst? Is it not from these passions of yours that war among your members?

Wymth What causes wars and contentions among you? Is it not the cravings which are ever at war within you for various pleasures?

ASV Whence come wars and whence come fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your pleasures that war in your members?

DRA From whence are wars and contentions among you? Are they not hence, from your concupiscences, which war in your members?

YLT Whence [are] wars and fightings among you? not thence — out of your passions, that are as soldiers in your members?

Drby Whence [come] wars and whence fightings among you? [Is it] not thence, — from your pleasures, which war in your members?

RV Whence come wars and whence come fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your pleasures that war in your members?
(Whence come wars and whence/where come fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your pleasures that war in your members? )

SLT Whence wars and fights among you? are they not hence, out of your sensual pleasures making war in your members.

Wbstr From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even from your lusts that war in your members?

KJB-1769 From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?
(From whence/where come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? )

KJB-1611 ¶ From whence come warres and [fn]fightings among you? come they not hence, euen of your [fn]lusts, that warre in your members?
(¶ From whence/where come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts, that war in your members?)

4:1 Or, brawlings.

4:1 Or, pleasures.

Bshps From whence cometh warre and fightyng among you? come they not here hence, euen of your lustes that fight in your members?
(From whence/where cometh/comes war and fighting among you? come they not here hence, even of your lusts that fight in your members?)

Gnva From whence are warres and contentions among you? are they not hence, euen of your pleasures, that fight in your members?
(From whence/where are wars and contentions among you? are they not hence, even of your pleasures, that fight in your members? )

Cvdl From whence commeth warre and fightynge amonge you: come they not here hence? euen of yor volupteousnesses that rayne in youre mebres?
(From whence/where cometh/comes war and fighting among you: come they not here hence? even of your volupteousnesses that rain in your(pl) mebres?)

TNT From whence commeth warre and fighttynge amonge you: come they not here hence? even of youre volupteousnes that rayne in youre members.
(From whence/where cometh/comes war and fightting among you: come they not here hence? even of your(pl) volupteousnes that rain in your(pl) members. )

Wycl Wherof ben batelis and cheestis among you? Whether not of youre coueitisis, that fiyten in youre membris?
(Wherof been battleis and chosetis among you? Whether not of your(pl) coueitisis, that fighting in your(pl) membris?)

Luth Woher kommt Streit und Krieg unter euch? Kommt‘s nicht daher, aus euren Wollüsten, die da streiten in euren Gliedern?
(From_where comes battle and war/battle under you? Come_on not therefore, out_of your(s)(pl) Wollüsten, the there argue/battle in your(s)(pl) limbsn?)

ClVg Unde bella et lites in vobis? nonne hinc: ex concupiscentiis vestris, quæ militant in membris vestris?[fn]
(From_where/who wars and lites in/into/on to_you(pl)? isn't_it from_here: from concupiscentiis yours, which militant in/into/on members yours? )

4.1 Unde bella, etc. BED. Prohibuerat zelum et contentionem, unde etiam latius disputat, addens alia vitia quæ inde sequuntur: ex contentione concupiscentia, ex concupiscentiis bella et lites. Qui enim cupit præferri, vel temporalibus abundare, odit, invidet, occidit.

4.1 From_where/who wars, etc. BED. Prohibuerat zeal and contentionem, from_where/who also wider disputat, addens other vices which therefore/from_there they_follow: from contentione desire, from concupiscentiis wars and lites. Who because desires beforeferri, or temporal abundare, hates, envies, killed.

UGNT πόθεν πόλεμοι καὶ πόθεν μάχαι ἐν ὑμῖν? οὐκ ἐντεῦθεν ἐκ τῶν ἡδονῶν ὑμῶν, τῶν στρατευομένων ἐν τοῖς μέλεσιν ὑμῶν?
(pothen polemoi kai pothen maⱪai en humin? ouk enteuthen ek tōn haʸdonōn humōn, tōn strateuomenōn en tois melesin humōn?)

SBL-GNT Πόθεν πόλεμοι καὶ ⸀πόθεν μάχαι ἐν ὑμῖν; οὐκ ἐντεῦθεν, ἐκ τῶν ἡδονῶν ὑμῶν τῶν στρατευομένων ἐν τοῖς μέλεσιν ὑμῶν;
(Pothen polemoi kai ⸀pothen maⱪai en humin; ouk enteuthen, ek tōn haʸdonōn humōn tōn strateuomenōn en tois melesin humōn;)

RP-GNT Πόθεν πόλεμοι καὶ μάχαι ἐν ὑμῖν; Οὐκ ἐντεῦθεν, ἐκ τῶν ἡδονῶν ὑμῶν τῶν στρατευομένων ἐν τοῖς μέλεσιν ὑμῶν;
(Pothen polemoi kai maⱪai en humin; Ouk enteuthen, ek tōn haʸdonōn humōn tōn strateuomenōn en tois melesin humōn;)

TC-GNT Πόθεν πόλεμοι καὶ [fn]μάχαι ἐν ὑμῖν; Οὐκ ἐντεῦθεν, ἐκ τῶν ἡδονῶν ὑμῶν τῶν στρατευομένων ἐν τοῖς μέλεσιν ὑμῶν;
(Pothen polemoi kai maⱪai en humin; Ouk enteuthen, ek tōn haʸdonōn humōn tōn strateuomenōn en tois melesin humōn; )

4:1 μαχαι ¦ ποθεν μαχαι CT

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

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 4:1–12: Believers must submit to God, not to their own selfish desires

In this section, James wrote about the problem of Christians quarreling among themselves. He identified the root of the problem as our human selfish desires. Then he pointed out that the solution is to humble ourselves and submit to God.

Some other possible headings for this section are:

Warning against being God’s enemy (UBS)

Submit Yourselves to God (NIV)

Paragraph 4:1–3

In this paragraph, James discussed why Christian people quarrel with each other. He introduced this topic by means of a rhetorical question (4:1a). He then responded to his question, using another rhetorical question (4:1b). Christians quarrel because they selfishly desire things. In 4:2–3 he explained the answer in more detail.

4:1a

What causes conflicts and quarrels among you?

¶ Where do all the fights and quarrels among you come from? (GNT)
¶ What causes you^(plur) to have conflicts with one another?
¶ Think^(plur) about why you believers argue and fight with one another so much/often.

What causes conflicts and quarrels among you?: This is a rhetorical question. James used this rhetorical question to introduce a new topic. He wanted his readers to think about what was causing people in the church to quarrel and fight with one another.

Some ways to introduce this new topic are:

As a rhetorical question. For example:
Where do all the fights and quarrels among you come from? (GNT)
As a command/imperative form to draw the readers’ attention to the new topic. For example:
Now consider what causes you^(plur) to fight…
Think about why you^(plur) fight….
As a statement expressing James’ wish. For example:
I want you^(plur) to think about why you fight.

Use a natural way in your language to introduce this new topic.

What causes: The Greek word that the BSB translates as What causes is more literally “From where.” For example:

Where do the conflicts and where do the quarrels among you come from? (NET)

The conflicts and quarrels come from inside people. So in some languages, it is more natural to say:

What causes…

Why do you fight and argue with each other? (CEV)

conflicts and quarrels: The Greek words that the BSB translates as conflicts and quarrels refer to serious conflicts. These words can refer to both physical fighting and verbal arguments.

Some other ways to translate these words are:

fights and arguments (NCV)

conflicts and disputes (NRSV)

Notice the plural forms. This shows that these conflicts were happening frequently. James was not thinking of just one problem.

In some languages, it will be more natural to translate these nouns as verbs. For example:

you fight and quarrel so often

The words conflicts and quarrels are a doublet. This means that these two words mean almost the same thing. In some languages, both words can be translated by one word. For example:

Where do your frequent conflicts come from?

among you: The phrase among you indicates that James was talking about quarrels and disputes among Christian people.

4:1b–c

Don’t they come from the passions at war within you?: This is a rhetorical question. It is a response to the rhetorical question in 4:1a. James used this rhetorical question to emphasize that the fights and quarrels came from people’s evil desires.

Some ways to translate this emphasis are:

As a rhetorical question. For example:
Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you? (NLT)
They come from your^(plur) desires that battle within you, right?
As a statement. For example:
They come from the selfish desires that war within you. (NCV)

Translate this emphasis in a way that is natural in your language.

James was not informing his readers of something they did not know. He was reminding them of something they already knew.

4:1b

Don’t they come from the passions

They come from your^(plur) selfish desires
Your^(plur) own evil/selfish desires cause these situations.
It is because each of you^(plur) desires/wants many different things for only yourselves

they: The pronoun they refers to the “fights and quarrels” in 4:1a.

come from: Use a verb that corresponds with the verb in 4:1a. For example, if you used the verb “come from” in 4:1a, you can use come from here. If you used the verb “causes” in 4:1a, you may want to use “caused” here. For example:

Aren’t they caused by…? (GW)

the passions: The Greek word that the BSB translates as passions here refers to wrong, selfish desires. These passions are desires for personal wealth, glory, and pleasure.Mitton, page 146. See also Alford, page 311. James was perhaps particularly thinking of the desire of some people to be powerful and popular and to have authority.Martin, page 145. Huther, page 174, thinks of the pursuit of earthly riches in particular. The Greek word ἡδονή can in some contexts refer to the pursuit of physical and sensual pleasures, but the context in James does not support that reference.

Some other ways to translate this word are:

selfish desires (GW)

desires for pleasure (GNT)

In some languages, it is more natural to translate the phrase the passions with a clause. For example:

you^(plur) selfishly desire to have

you^(plur) really want

4:1c

at war within you?

that are fighting inside you^(plur), right?
They are struggling inside your^(plur) hearts/spirits against what you should want.
that are opposite/contrary to the good that you^(plur) should want.

at war within you: The clause at war within you refers to your desires “which are constantly fighting within you.” (GNT)

This clause is a figure of speech called personification. The word “passions” in 4:1b is the subject of the word war. It is as if the “passions” were people who could fight.

There are at least two ways to translate this personification:

Keep the figure of speech. For example:
that fight to control you (GW)
Translate the meaning of the figure. For example:
that are opposed/contrary to what you should want
that are against your desire to do good

The text does not state against whom or against what the desires of the person are fighting. There are basically three interpretations:

The desires in a person are fighting a war against his conscience or his soul. The struggle is inside him.Interpretation (1) is supported by Mayor, page 129; Adamson (1976), page 166; Hiebert, page 244; Davids (1982), page 157; Moo (1985), page 139.
The desires in a person are fighting a war against other people as he tries to do what pleases God and not what pleases them.Interpretation (2) is supported by Alford, page 312; Huther, page 127; Ropes, page 253; Martin, page 140.
The different desires in a person are fighting a war with each other inside the person.Interpretation (3) is supported by JBP and by Laws, page 168.

English versions do not say whom the desires are fighting. If you must be specific, it is recommended that you follow interpretation (1).

within you: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as within you can also be translated as:

inside you (NET)

in your^(plur) hearts

in your^(plur) souls/spirits

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

πόθεν πόλεμοι καὶ πόθεν μάχαι ἐν ὑμῖν

from_where (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Πόθεν πόλεμοι καί πόθεν μάχαι ἐν ὑμῖν Οὐκ ἐντεῦθεν ἐκ τῶν ἡδονῶν ὑμῶν τῶν στρατευομένων ἐν τοῖς μέλεσιν ὑμῶν)

James is using the terms wars and battles. Alternate translation: [Where do the conflicts and disputes that you are having come from]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

πόθεν πόλεμοι καὶ πόθεν μάχαι ἐν ὑμῖν?

James is using the question form as a teaching tool. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this question by translating his words as a statement. Alternate translation: [I will tell you where the conflicts and disputes that you are having come from.]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / doublet

πόθεν πόλεμοι καὶ πόθεν μάχαι ἐν ὑμῖν?

The words wars and battles mean similar things. James is using them together for emphasis. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this connection by translating them with a single expression. Alternate translation (as a statement): [I will tell you where the continual conflicts that you are having come from.]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

οὐκ ἐντεῦθεν ἐκ τῶν ἡδονῶν ὑμῶν, τῶν στρατευομένων ἐν τοῖς μέλεσιν ὑμῶν?

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Πόθεν πόλεμοι καί πόθεν μάχαι ἐν ὑμῖν Οὐκ ἐντεῦθεν ἐκ τῶν ἡδονῶν ὑμῶν τῶν στρατευομένων ἐν τοῖς μέλεσιν ὑμῶν)

James is using the question form as a teaching tool. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this question by translating his words as a statement. Alternate translation: [This is where they come from: from your lusts, which fight in your members.]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

τῶν ἡδονῶν ὑμῶν, τῶν στρατευομένων ἐν τοῖς μέλεσιν ὑμῶν

the gratifications ˱of˲_you_all ¬which warring in the members ˱of˲_you_all

As in [3:6](../03/06.md), members means “parts of the body.” This could mean: (1) the phrase in your members indicates the location of the lusts that James is describing. He could be saying that the outward fights between members of the community have their origin in inward lusts that lead people to fight for what they want, as he describes in the next verse. If so, he is using the parts of the body to represent a person’s thoughts and emotions. Alternate translation: [the lusts inside of you that fight] (2) the word translated in means “among.” The sense would then be that these lusts fight against one part of the person after another, seeking to gain control of the whole person. Since the lusts would actually be gaining control over non-physical aspects of a person, such as his will and values, James would once again be using the physical parts of the body to express his meaning. Alternate translation: [your lusts, which fight to control you] (3) James is speaking of the community of believers as if it were a body and of individual believers as if they were parts of that body. Alternate translation: [your lusts, which fight against other believers]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / personification