YAC 4:17 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) Any person who knows that there’s some good thing that they should be doing, but doesn’t do it, is sinning.

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, 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).

ULT Therefore to the one having known to do good and not doing it, to him it is sin.

UST So if anyone does not do something even though he knows it is the right thing that he should do, he has committed a sin.

AICNT Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.

OEB The person, then, who knows what is right but fails to do it – that is sin in them.

WEBBE To him therefore who knows to do good and doesn’t do it, to him it is sin.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET So whoever knows what is good to do and does not do it is guilty of sin.

LSV to him, then, knowing to do good, and not doing [it], it is sin to him.

FBV For it is a sin if you know to do what's right but don't do it.

TCNT So whoever knows the right thing to do and does not do it, for him it is sin.

T4T So if anyone knows the right thing that he should do, but he does not do it, he is sinning.

LEB Therefore, to the one who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.

BBE The man who has knowledge of how to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.

Moff Whoever, then, knows what is right to do and does not do it, that is a sin for him.

Wymth If, however, a man knows what it is right to do and yet does not do it, he commits a sin.
¶ 

ASV To him therefore that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

DRA To him therefore who knoweth to do good, and doth it not, to him it is sin.

YLT to him, then, knowing to do good, and not doing, sin it is to him.

Drby To him therefore who knows how to do good, and does it not, to him it is sin.

RV To him therefore that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
(To him therefore that knoweth/knows to do good, and doth/does it not, to him it is sin. )

SLT Therefore to him knowing to do good, and not doing, to him it is sin.

Wbstr Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

KJB-1769 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
(Therefore to him that knoweth/knows to do good, and doth/does it not, to him it is sin. )

KJB-1611 Therefore to him that knoweth to doe good, and doth it not, to him it is sinne.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above)

Bshps Therfore to hym that knoweth howe to do good, and doth it not, to hym it is sinne.
(Therefore to him that knoweth/knows how to do good, and doth/does it not, to him it is sin.)

Gnva Therefore, to him that knoweth how to doe well, and doeth it not, to him it is sinne.
(Therefore, to him that knoweth/knows how to do well, and doth/does it not, to him it is sin. )

Cvdl Therfore to him that knoweth how to do good, and doth it not, to him it is synne.
(Therefore to him that knoweth/knows how to do good, and doth/does it not, to him it is sin.)

TNT Therfore to him that knoweth how to do good and doth it not to him it is synne.
(Therefore to him that knoweth/knows how to do good and doth/does it not to him it is sin. )

Wycl Therfor it is synne to hym, that kan do good, and doith not.
(Therefore it is sin to him, that can do good, and doth/does not.)

Luth Denn wer da weiß, Gutes zu tun, und tut‘s nicht, dem ist‘s Sünde.
(Because who there white, goodness/good_(person) to/for do/put, and it_does not, to_him it_is sin(n).)

ClVg Scienti igitur bonum facere, et non facienti, peccatum est illi.
(Scienti therefore good to_do, and not/no they_will_doi, sin it_is them. )

UGNT εἰδότι οὖν καλὸν ποιεῖν, καὶ μὴ ποιοῦντι, ἁμαρτία αὐτῷ ἐστιν.
(eidoti oun kalon poiein, kai maʸ poiounti, hamartia autōi estin.)

SBL-GNT εἰδότι οὖν καλὸν ποιεῖν καὶ μὴ ποιοῦντι, ἁμαρτία αὐτῷ ἐστιν.
(eidoti oun kalon poiein kai maʸ poiounti, hamartia autōi estin.)

RP-GNT Εἰδότι οὖν καλὸν ποιεῖν καὶ μὴ ποιοῦντι, ἁμαρτία αὐτῷ ἐστίν.
(Eidoti oun kalon poiein kai maʸ poiounti, hamartia autōi estin.)

TC-GNT Εἰδότι οὖν καλὸν ποιεῖν καὶ μὴ ποιοῦντι, ἁμαρτία αὐτῷ ἐστιν.
(Eidoti oun kalon poiein kai maʸ poiounti, hamartia autōi estin. )

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

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 4:13–17: Trust in the Lord and not in yourselves

In this section, James rebuked the merchants who made plans to get rich but did not think about God. It is not clear whether or not the people whom James was denouncing belonged to the Christian community. It may be that among the Jewish traders of the time there were some who claimed to follow Christ but were not living as they should. On the other hand, there were no doubt many rich traders and merchants outside the church (see the references to “the rich” in 2:6–7), and James’ words would have served as a warning to Christians not to desire to follow their example.

Some other possible headings for this section are:

Don’t Brag About Your Plans for the Future (GW)

Warning against Boasting (GNT)

Paragraph 4:13–17

James described the way traders made plans to get rich (4:13). Then he explained that those who think like that are ignoring God (4:14). He told them that instead they ought to submit to the Lord’s will (4:15). He reminded them that their behavior was arrogant (4:16) and warned them that God considered it sinful (4:17).

4:17b

yet fails to do it,

and does not do it,
but does not behave like that,

4:17

Anyone, then, who knows the right thing to do, yet fails to do it, is guilty of sin: In this sentence, James warned people to behave properly. He stated the warning in general terms, but he was probably warning people against making plans with a boastful attitude (4:13–16). He wanted people to be humble when they made plans for the future.Commentators disagree on what James is talking about. There are three interpretations:(1) The verse refers to the topic of making plans with a boastful attitude (4:13–16). In this context doing the good he ought to do means being humble when making plans, as James recommended in 4:15. (Interpretation (1) is followed by Alford, page 319; Adamson (1976), page 181; Hiebert, page 280; Moo (1985), page 158.(2) In the good he ought to do the idea of “doing good” means doing good deeds (see chapter 2). The traders were guilty of trying to make a profit for themselves instead of sharing it with the poor. (Interpretation (2) is followed by Laws, page 193.)(3) The statement does not refer particularly to this paragraph, but to all the teaching that James has given so far. (Interpretation (3) is followed by Mayor, page 147; Mitton, page 172; and apparently by RSV since that version omits the connecting word then.)All three of these interpretations are supported by different commentators. However, three points show that James meant this verse to be understood together with the verses before it (4:13–16), as in interpretation (1).First, the verse has a connecting word in the Greek, translated then. Secondly, the word good is the opposite of the word “evil” in 4:16. Thirdly, if James wanted this statement to apply to all his teaching, he would have put it near the end of chapter 5.Interpretation (1) is recommended because it is the only interpretation in which this verse is understood together with 4:13–16.

Some other ways to translate this verse are:

Therefore, the person who knows the good thing to do in this situation, but he does not do it, he has sinned.

You know what is the right thing to do in this matter. So if you do not do it, you have sinned.

4:17a

Anyone, then, who knows the right thing to do,

So, the person who knows the right thing to do
Therefore, if someone knows the right way to behave in this matter

Anyone…who knows: The Greek word that the BSB translates as Anyone who knows refers to people in general. Use whichever word is appropriate when warning people in your language. For example:

Whoever knows (GW)

we know (GNT)

you know (CEV)

then: The Greek conjunction that the BSB translates as then here introduces the conclusion of all that James wrote in 4:13–16. Some other ways to translate this conjunction are:

So then (GNT)

So (NET)

Therefore

knows the right thing to do: The phrase the right thing to do refers to doing what is right. It probably refers to acting in a humble way when planning for the future.

Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

knows what is right to do (RSV)

the good he ought to do (NIV)

4:17c

is guilty of sin.

he is guilty of sin.
that person has done evil.

is guilty of sin: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as is guilty of sin is literally “to him it is sin.” This is an Old Testament expression.Deuteronomy 15:9; 23:21–22; 24:15. The meaning is “it is counted against him by God as sin.” In other words, God considers him guilty of committing a sin.

Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

sins (NIV)

commits sin (NRSV)