12:9 Love must be 1 without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil, cling to what is good.
1:17 He himself is before all things and all things are held together 5 in him.
1:1 From James, 10 a slave 11 of God and the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes dispersed abroad. 12 Greetings!
5:1 Come now, you rich! Weep and cry aloud 13 over the miseries that are coming on you.
1 tn The verb “must be” is understood in the Greek text.
2 tn Although συσχηματίζεσθε (suschmatizesqe) could be either a passive or middle, the passive is more likely since it would otherwise have to be a direct middle (“conform yourselves”) and, as such, would be quite rare for NT Greek. It is very telling that being “conformed” to the present world is viewed as a passive notion, for it may suggest that it happens, in part, subconsciously. At the same time, the passive could well be a “permissive passive,” suggesting that there may be some consciousness of the conformity taking place. Most likely, it is a combination of both.
3 tn Grk “to this age.”
4 sn The verb translated test and approve (δοκιμάζω, dokimazw) carries the sense of “test with a positive outcome,” “test so as to approve.”
5 tn BDAG 973 s.v. συνίστημι B.3 suggests “continue, endure, exist, hold together” here.
6 tn The Greek conjunction καὶ (kai) seems to be functioning here ascensively, (i.e., “even”), but is difficult to render in this context using good English. It may read something like: “but rather even expose them!”
7 tn Grk “rather even expose.”
8 tn Or “in the sight of”; Grk “with.”
9 tn Grk “the God and Father.”
10 tn Grk “James.” The word “From” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.
11 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.
12 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.
13 tn Or “wail”; Grk “crying aloud.”