YAC 4:4 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) You’re just like prostitutes. Don’t you realise that if you befriend the world then you’re opposing God, so anyone who befriends the world makes themself an enemy of God.

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, pink:genitive/possessor, magenta:vocative, 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 You adulteresses! Do you not know that the friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wants to be a friend of the world is made an enemy of God.

UST You are being disloyal to God by not obeying him! You must realize that those who behave as evil people do are hostile to God. So if that is how you decide to live, then you will be choosing to be hostile to God.

BSB [You] adulteresses![fn] Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility [toward] God? Therefore, whoever chooses to be a friend of the world renders himself[fn] an enemy of God.

4:4 See Hosea 3:1; CT You adulteresses!

4:4 Or is appointed

BLB Adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility with God? Therefore whoever has chosen to be a friend of the world is appointed an enemy of God.

AICNT [[Adulterers and]][fn] Adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever wishes to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.

4:4, Adulterers and: Later manuscripts add. BYZ TR

OEB Unfaithful people! Don’t you know that to be friends with the world means to be at enmity with God? Therefore whoever chooses to be friends with the world makes himself an enemy to God.

WEBBE You adulterers and adulteresses, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hostility towards God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET Adulterers, do you not know that friendship with the world means hostility toward God? So whoever decides to be the world’s friend makes himself God’s enemy.

LSV Adulterers and adulteresses! Have you not known that friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whoever, then, may intend to be a friend of the world, he is designated [as] an enemy of God.

FBV You adulterous people! Don't you realize that friendship with the world is hatred towards God? Those who want to be friends of the world make themselves enemies of God.

TCNT [fn]Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

4:4 Adulterers and adulteresses 97.8% ¦ Adulteresses CT 1.8%

T4T Like a woman who is unfaithful to her husband, you are being unfaithful to God and not obeying him any more [MET]. Those who are behaving as evil people do [MTY] (OR, Those who love the evil pleasures of this world) are hostile toward God. Perhaps you do not realize that [RHQ]. So those who decide to act as evil people do [MTY] become enemies of God.

LEB Adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

BBE O you who are false to God, do you not see that the friends of this world are not God's friends? Every man desiring to be a friend of this world makes himself a hater of God.

Moff (Wanton creatures! do you not know that the world's friendship means enmity to God? Whoever, then, chooses to be the world's friend, turns enemy to God.

Wymth You unfaithful women, do you not know that friendship with the world means enmity to God? Therefore whoever is bent on being friendly with the world makes himself an enemy to God.

ASV Ye adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore would be a friend of the world maketh himself an enemy of God.

DRA Adulterers, know you not that the friendship of this world is the enemy of God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of this world, becometh an enemy of God.

YLT Adulterers and adulteresses! have ye not known that friendship of the world is enmity with God? whoever, then, may counsel to be a friend of the world, an enemy of God he is set.

Drby Adulteresses, know ye not that friendship with the world is enmity with [fn]God? Whoever therefore is minded to be [the] friend of the world is constituted enemy of [fn]God.

4.4 Elohim

RV Ye adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore would be a friend of the world maketh himself an enemy of God.
(Ye/You_all adulteresses, know ye/you_all not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore would be a friend of the world maketh/makes himself an enemy of God. )

SLT Adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is the enmity of God? whoever therefore would wish to be the friend of the world is set the enemy of God.

Wbstr Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

KJB-1769 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
(Ye/You_all adulterers and adulteresses, know ye/you_all not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. )

KJB-1611 Ye adulterers, and adulteresses, know yee not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoeuer therefore will be a friend of the world, is the enemy of God.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)

Bshps Ye adulterers & adultresses, knowe you not howe that the frendship of the world is enmitie with God? Whosoeuer therfore wylbe a friende of the worlde, is made the enemie of God.
(Ye/You_all adulterers and adultresses, know you not how that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world, is made the enemy of God.)

Gnva Ye adulterers and adulteresses, knowe ye not that the amitie of the world is the enimitie of God? Whosoeuer therefore will be a friend of the world, maketh himselfe the enemie of God.
(Ye/You_all adulterers and adulteresses, know ye/you_all not that the amitie of the world is the enmity of God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world, maketh/makes himself the enemy of God. )

Cvdl Ye aduouterars, & weme that breke matrimonie: knowe ye not how that the frenshippe of ye worlde is ennimite to godwarde? Whosoeuer wilbe a frende of the worlde, is made ye enemie of god.
(Ye/You_all aduouterars, and women that break matrimonie: know ye/you_all not how that the frenshippe of ye/you_all world is ennimite to godwarde? Whosoever will be a friend of the world, is made ye/you_all enemy of god.)

TNT Ye advouterars and wemen that breke matrimonie: knowe ye not how that the freshippe of the worlde is ennimite to god warde? Whosoever wilbe a frende of the worlde is made the enemie of god.
(Ye/You_all advouterars and women that break matrimonie: know ye/you_all not how that the freshippe of the world is ennimite to god warde? Whosoever will be a friend of the world is made the enemy of god. )

Wycl Auowtreris, witen not ye, that the frenschip of this world is enemye to God? Therfor who euere wole be frend of this world, is maad the enemye of God.
(Auowtreris, perceive not ye/you_all, that the frenschip of this world is enemy to God? Therefore who ever will be friend of this world, is made the enemy of God.)

Luth Ihr Ehebrecher und Ehebrecherinnen, wisset ihr nicht, daß der Welt Freund schaft Gottes Feindschaft ist? Wer der Welt Freund sein will, der wird Gottes Feind sein.
(You(pl) adulterer and adulteresses, know you(pl)/their/her not, that the/of_the world friend schaft God’s enmity is? Who the/of_the world friend be will, the/of_the becomes God’s enemy be.)

ClVg Adulteri, nescitis quia amicitia hujus mundi inimica est Dei? quicumque ergo voluerit amicus esse sæculi hujus, inimicus Dei constituitur.[fn]
(Adulteri, you_don't_know because friendstia of_this world hostile it_is of_God? whoever therefore wanted a_friend to_be of_the_world/of_the_ages of_this, the_enemy of_God establishedur. )

4.4 Adulteri, nescitis, etc. BED. Dixerat supra de apertis inimicis Dei, etc., usque ad et per hoc inimici Dei constituimini.

4.4 Adulteri, you_don't_know, etc. BED. Dixerat above from/about apertis enemies of_God, etc., until to and through this enemies of_God to_establishmini.

UGNT μοιχαλίδες! οὐκ οἴδατε ὅτι ἡ φιλία τοῦ κόσμου, ἔχθρα τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐστιν? ὃς ἐὰν οὖν βουληθῇ φίλος εἶναι τοῦ κόσμου, ἐχθρὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ καθίσταται.
(moiⱪalides! ouk oidate hoti haʸ filia tou kosmou, eⱪthra tou Theou estin? hos ean oun boulaʸthaʸ filos einai tou kosmou, eⱪthros tou Theou kathistatai.)

SBL-GNT ⸀μοιχαλίδες, οὐκ οἴδατε ὅτι ἡ φιλία τοῦ κόσμου ἔχθρα τοῦ θεοῦ ἐστιν; ὃς ⸀ἐὰν οὖν βουληθῇ φίλος εἶναι τοῦ κόσμου, ἐχθρὸς τοῦ θεοῦ καθίσταται.
(⸀moiⱪalides, ouk oidate hoti haʸ filia tou kosmou eⱪthra tou theou estin; hos ⸀ean oun boulaʸthaʸ filos einai tou kosmou, eⱪthros tou theou kathistatai.)

RP-GNT Μοιχοὶ καὶ μοιχαλίδες, οὐκ οἴδατε ὅτι ἡ φιλία τοῦ κόσμου ἔχθρα τοῦ θεοῦ ἐστίν; Ὃς ἂν οὖν βουληθῇ φίλος εἶναι τοῦ κόσμου, ἐχθρὸς τοῦ θεοῦ καθίσταται.
(Moiⱪoi kai moiⱪalides, ouk oidate hoti haʸ filia tou kosmou eⱪthra tou theou estin; Hos an oun boulaʸthaʸ filos einai tou kosmou, eⱪthros tou theou kathistatai.)

TC-GNT [fn]Μοιχοὶ καὶ μοιχαλίδες, οὐκ οἴδατε ὅτι ἡ φιλία τοῦ κόσμου ἔχθρα τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐστιν; Ὃς [fn]ἂν οὖν βουληθῇ φίλος εἶναι τοῦ κόσμου, ἐχθρὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ καθίσταται.
(Moiⱪoi kai moiⱪalides, ouk oidate hoti haʸ filia tou kosmou eⱪthra tou Theou estin; Hos an oun boulaʸthaʸ filos einai tou kosmou, eⱪthros tou Theou kathistatai. )

4:4 μοιχοι και 97.8% ¦ — CT 1.8%

4:4 αν ¦ εαν 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 4:4–6

James said that to love the world’s evil way is to hate God. God is angry with people who do this.

4:4a

You adulteresses!

¶ You^(plur) are adulteresses!
¶ You^(plur) are like wives who are immoral.
¶ You people aren’t faithful to God! (CEV)

You adulteresses!: The KJV translation “Ye adulterers and adulteresses” follows a different Greek text, but the meaning is also metaphorical. The Greek word that the BSB translates as You adulteresses is literally “adulteresses.” This word is feminine and often refers to women who are unfaithful to their husbands. Here this word is a metaphor. In this metaphor, James was rebuking some of his readers by comparing them (both men and women) to women who had committed adultery.

One way that they are similar is that they were not loyal.

Some of James’ readers had not been loyal to God. They had promised that they would follow God, just as a bride promises to stay with her husband. But they had been unfaithful to him like adulterous women are unfaithful to their husbands. So James rebuked them by calling them adulteresses. (This same word is also used metaphorically in Matthew 12:39 and Mark 8:38.)

There are several ways to translate this figure of speech here:

Keep the metaphor. For example:
Adulterers! (NRSV)
You are adulterous people!
Change the metaphor to a simile. For example:
You are like unfaithful wives (JBP)
You are like married women who are immoral
Translate the meaning without the figure of speech. For example:
You unfaithful people! (GW)
you are not loyal to God! (NCV)

Make sure your translation is acceptable for public reading in church.

In some translations, it may be helpful to include a footnote to further explain the metaphor of adulteresses. An example for such a footnote is:

The word “adulteresses” here comes from a common Old Testament metaphor that describes God as the husband and his people as his wife. When God’s people were unfaithful to him by worshipping idols, they are described as “adulteresses” and “prostitutes.” See Jeremiah chapter 3; 13:27 and Isaiah 54:5–7; 57:3.

4:4b–c

Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God?: This is a rhetorical question. James used this rhetorical question to express emphasis. He wanted to emphasize that friendship with the world is hatred toward God.

Some ways to translate this emphasis are:

As a rhetorical question. For example:
Don’t you know that to be the world’s friend means to be God’s enemy? (GNT)
Friendship with the world is hatred toward God. You know that, don’t you?
As a statement. For example:
You should know that loving the world is the same as hating God. (NCV)

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

4:4b

Do you not know that friendship with the world

Do you^(plur) not know that friendship with the evil world
You^(plur) know, do you not, that if you befriend/love the ways of this evil world,
You^(plur) should know that if you love the evil pleasures/desires of the people of this world,

friendship with the world: The Greek word that the BSB translates as friendship may also be translated as “love” or “affection.”

The Greek word that the BSB translates as world here refers to evil ways of thinking and acting. These evil ways of thinking and acting are the characteristics of people who are opposed to God and his ways.

So friendship with the world means “having a love/preference for the evil ways of the people of this world.”

Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

love for this evil world (GW)

if you love the world (CEV)

following the evil pleasures/ways of this world

preferring the ways of the ungodly people in this world

wanting to do whatever God hates

The word world also occurs with a similar meaning in 1:27c.

4:4c

is hostility toward God?

means that you^(plur) hate God?
you^(plur) are an enemy of God?
you^(plur) are against God.

is hostility toward God: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as hostility toward God refers to a state of hating God. It is being opposed to God. It is the opposite of “friendship” (4:4b).

Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

you are God’s enemies (CEV)

means to be God’s enemy (GNT)

is the same as hating God (NCV)

4:4d

Therefore, whoever chooses to be a friend of the world

Therefore, the person who decides to be a friend of this evil world
So, whoever wants to be a friend of the ways of this evil world
So, if you^(plur) choose/decide to love worldly pleasures/desires,

Therefore: The Greek word that BSB translates literally as Therefore is a conjunction that introduces 4:4d. This conjunction indicates that 4:4d–e is the logical conclusion to the points James has just presented in 4:4b–c. Another way to translate this conjunction is:

So (NET)

whoever chooses: The phrase whoever chooses can also be translated as:

whoever chooses

the person who chooses

This phrase does not refer to any person in particular.

In some languages, a plural subject may be more appropriate than a singular. It is also possible to use the second person. For example:

All the people who choose

And if you decide (CEV)

chooses: The Greek word that the BSB translates as chooses means “deliberately decides” to live that way. Some other ways to translate this word are:

decide (CEV)

want (GNT)

to be a friend of the world: The phrase to be a friend of the world refers to “living the way that the world wants,” or “pleasing the people of the world.” (The people of the world are people who do not love God.)

Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

to be a friend of this evil world

to be a friend of the ways of this evil world

to love all the evil pleasures of this world

This phrase is similar in meaning to “friendship with the world” in 4:4b.

4:4e

renders himself an enemy of God.

makes himself an enemy of God.
becomes God’s enemy.
you^(plur) make yourself God’s enemy. (GNT)

renders himself an enemy of God: The Greek verb that the BSB translates as renders himself can also be translated as “makes himself” (as in the RSV). In other words, if a person decides that he will be a friend of the world, this decision automatically causes him to be God’s enemy. God does not have or want friendship with the world.

Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

makes himself God’s enemy (NET)

you make yourself God’s enemy (GNT)

an enemy of God: An enemy of God is a person whom God is against.

UTN uW Translation Notes:

μοιχαλίδες

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Μοιχαλίδες Οὐκ οἴδατε ὅτι ἡ φιλία τοῦ κόσμου ἔχθρα τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐστίν Ὅς ἐάν οὖν βουληθῇ φίλος εἶναι τοῦ κόσμου ἐχθρός τοῦ Θεοῦ καθίσταται)

Alternate translation: [Adulteresses]

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

μοιχαλίδες

James is describing his readers as married women who have sexual relations with men who are not their husbands. This metaphor is used many places in the Bible to represent unfaithfulness to God. Alternate translation: [You are not being faithful to God]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

οὐκ οἴδατε ὅτι ἡ φιλία τοῦ κόσμου, ἔχθρα τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐστιν?

James is using the question form for emphasis and as a teaching tool. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this question by translating his words as a statement or an exclamation. Alternate translation: [Certainly you know that friendship with the world is enmity with God!]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

ἡ φιλία τοῦ κόσμου, ἔχθρα τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐστιν

¬the friendship ˱with˲_the world enmity ¬the ˱of˲_God (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Μοιχαλίδες Οὐκ οἴδατε ὅτι ἡ φιλία τοῦ κόσμου ἔχθρα τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐστίν Ὅς ἐάν οὖν βουληθῇ φίλος εἶναι τοῦ κόσμου ἐχθρός τοῦ Θεοῦ καθίσταται)

If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the abstract nouns friendship and enmity by stating the ideas behind them with the concrete nouns “friend” and “enemy.” Alternate translation: [if you are a friend of the world, you are an enemy of God]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

ἡ φιλία τοῦ κόσμου

¬the friendship ˱with˲_the world

As in [1:27](../01/27.md), James is using the term world to mean the system of values shared by people who do not honor God. Alternate translation: [friendship with an ungodly value system]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / personification

ἡ φιλία τοῦ κόσμου

¬the friendship ˱with˲_the world

James is speaking of this ungodly value system as if it were a person with whom someone could be friends. Alternate translation: [living by an ungodly value system]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ἔχθρα τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐστιν

enmity ¬the ˱of˲_God (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Μοιχαλίδες Οὐκ οἴδατε ὅτι ἡ φιλία τοῦ κόσμου ἔχθρα τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐστίν Ὅς ἐάν οὖν βουληθῇ φίλος εἶναι τοῦ κόσμου ἐχθρός τοῦ Θεοῦ καθίσταται)

James probably does not consider that his readers have literally become sworn enemies of God. He is using the term enmity to describe how opposed the worldly value system is to the way God wants people to live. Alternate translation: [is contrary to what God wants]

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

φίλος εἶναι τοῦ κόσμου

˓a˒_friend to_be ˱of˲_the world

See how you translated the term world earlier in this verse. Alternate translation: [to be a friend of an ungodly value system]

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / personification

φίλος εἶναι τοῦ κόσμου

˓a˒_friend to_be ˱of˲_the world

James speaks again of the ungodly value system as if it were a person with whom someone could be friends. Alternate translation: [to live by an ungodly value system]

Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

καθίσταται

˓is_being˒_appointed

If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this with an active form. Alternate translation: [makes himself]

Note 10 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ἐχθρὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ

See how you translated the similar expression earlier in this verse. Alternate translation: [someone who lives in a way contrary to what God wants]

Parallel YAC 4:4

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

Paragraph 4:4–6

4:4a

4:4b–c

4:4b

4:4c

4:4d

4:4e