Text -- James 4:14-17 (NET)

4:14 You do not know about tomorrow. What is your life like? For you are a puff of smoke that appears for a short time and then vanishes. 4:15 You ought to say instead, “If the Lord is willing, then we will live and do this or that.” 4:16 But as it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. 4:17 So whoever knows what is good to do and does not do it is guilty of sin.

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Jam 4:14

¹ tn Grk “who” (continuing the description of the people of v. 13). Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

² tn Or “you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow.”

³ tn Or “a vapor.” The Greek word ἀτμίς (atmis) denotes a swirl of smoke arising from a fire (cf. Gen 19:28; Lev 16:13; Joel 2:30 [Acts 2:19]; Ezek 8:11).

NET Notes: Jam 4:15

¹ tn Grk “instead of your saying.”

NET Notes: Jam 4:16

¹ tn Grk “but now.”

NET Notes: Jam 4:17

¹ tn Or “knows how to do what is good.”

² tn Grk “to him it is sin.”