5:1 For freedom 8 Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be subject again to the yoke 9 of slavery.
1:1 From James, 15 a slave 16 of God and the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes dispersed abroad. 17 Greetings!
2:1 My brothers and sisters, 20 do not show prejudice 21 if you possess faith 22 in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. 23
1 tn Grk “be.”
2 tn Grk “going according to their own desires of ungodliness.”
3 tn Grk “walk” (a common NT idiom for how one conducts one’s life or how one behaves).
4 tn On the term “flesh” (once in this verse and twice in v. 17) see the note on the same word in Gal 5:13.
5 tc ‡ Some
6 tn See the note on the word “flesh” in Gal 5:13.
7 tn The Greek term παθήμασιν (paqhmasin, translated “passions”) refers to strong physical desires, especially of a sexual nature (L&N 25.30).
7 tn Translating the dative as “For freedom” shows the purpose for Christ setting us free; however, it is also possible to take the phrase in the sense of means or instrument (“with [or by] freedom”), referring to the freedom mentioned in 4:31 and implied throughout the letter.
8 sn Here the yoke figuratively represents the burdensome nature of slavery.
9 tn The Greek term υἱοθεσία (Juioqesia) was originally a legal technical term for adoption as a son with full rights of inheritance. BDAG 1024 s.v. notes, “a legal t.t. of ‘adoption’ of children, in our lit., i.e. in Paul, only in a transferred sense of a transcendent filial relationship between God and humans (with the legal aspect, not gender specificity, as major semantic component).” Although some modern translations remove the filial sense completely and render the term merely “adoption” (cf. NAB), the retention of this component of meaning was accomplished in the present translation by the phrase “as sons.”
11 tn The Greek term translated “guardians” here is ἐπίτροπος (epitropo"), whose semantic domain overlaps with that of παιδαγωγός (paidagwgo") according to L&N 36.5.
12 tn Grk “the,” but the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun (ExSyn 215).
13 tn See the note on the word “minor” in 4:1.
14 tn Or “basic principles,” “elemental things,” or “elemental spirits.” Some interpreters take this as a reference to supernatural powers who controlled nature and/or human fate.
15 tn Grk “James.” The word “From” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.
16 tn Traditionally, “servant” or “bondservant.” Though δοῦλος (doulos) is normally translated “servant,” the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. BDAG notes that “‘servant’ for ‘slave’ is largely confined to Biblical transl. and early American times…in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished” (BDAG 260 s.v.). The most accurate translation is “bondservant” (sometimes found in the ASV for δοῦλος), in that it often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force.
17 tn Grk “to the twelve tribes in the Diaspora.” The Greek term διασπορά (diaspora, “dispersion”) refers to Jews not living in Palestine but “dispersed” or scattered among the Gentiles.
17 sn A quotation from Exod 20:14 and Deut 5:18.
18 sn A quotation from Exod 20:13 and Deut 5:17.
19 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:2.
20 tn Or “partiality.”
21 tn Grk “do not have faith with personal prejudice,” with emphasis on the last phrase.
22 tn Grk “our Lord Jesus Christ of glory.” Here δόξης (doxhs) has been translated as an attributive genitive.
21 tn Or “stumbles.”
22 tn Grk “guilty of all.”
23 tn Grk “their entire body.”