James 1:23-27

1:23 For if someone merely listens to the message and does not live it out, he is like someone ¹  who gazes at his own face ²  in a mirror. 1:24 For he gazes at himself and then goes out and immediately forgets ³  what sort of person he was. 1:25 But the one who peers into the perfect law of liberty and fixes his attention there, ⁴  and does not become a forgetful listener but one who lives it out – he ⁵  will be blessed in what he does. ⁶  1:26 If someone thinks he is religious yet does not bridle his tongue, and so deceives his heart, his religion is futile. 1:27 Pure and undefiled religion before ⁷  God the Father ⁸  is this: to care for orphans and widows in their misfortune and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

¹ tn The word for “man” or “individual” is ἀνήρ (anhr), which often means “male” or “man (as opposed to woman).” However, as BDAG 79 s.v. 2 says, here it is “equivalent to τὶς someone, a person.”

² tn Grk “the face of his beginning [or origin].”

³ tn Grk “and he has gone out and immediately has forgotten.”

⁴ tn Grk “continues.”

⁵ tn Grk “this one.”

⁶ tn Grk “in his doing.”

⁷ tn Or “in the sight of”; Grk “with.”

⁸ tn Grk “the God and Father.”