1 Samuel 2:2

2:2 No one is holy ¹  like the Lord!

There is no one other than you!

There is no rock ²  like our God!

Psalms 36:7-8

36:7 How precious ³  is your loyal love, O God!

The human race finds shelter under your wings. ⁴ 

36:8 They are filled with food from your house,

and you allow them to drink from the river of your delicacies.

Psalms 86:5

86:5 Certainly ⁵  O Lord, you are kind ⁶  and forgiving,

and show great faithfulness to all who cry out to you.

Psalms 119:68

119:68 You are good and you do good.

Teach me your statutes!

James 1:17

1:17 All generous giving and every perfect gift ⁷  is from above, coming down ⁸  from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or the slightest hint of change. ⁹ 

James 1:1

Salutation

1:1 From James, ¹⁰  a slave ¹¹  of God and the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes dispersed abroad. ¹²  Greetings!

James 4:8

4:8 Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and make your hearts pure, you double-minded. ¹³ 

James 4:16

4:16 But as it is, ¹⁴  you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.

[2:2]  ¹ sn In this context God’s holiness refers primarily to his sovereignty and incomparability. He is unique and distinct from all other so-called gods.

[2:2]  ² tn The LXX has “and there is none righteous like our God.” The Hebrew term translated “rock” refers to a rocky cliff where one can seek refuge from enemies. Here the metaphor depicts God as a protector of his people. Cf. TEV “no protector like our God”; CEV “We’re safer with you than on a high mountain.”

[36:7]  ³ tn Or “valuable.”

[36:7]  ⁴ tn Heb “and the sons of man in the shadow of your wings find shelter.” The preservation of physical life is in view, as the next verse makes clear.

[86:5]  ⁵ tn Or “for.”

[86:5]  ⁶ tn Heb “good.”

[1:17]  ⁷ tn The first phrase refers to the action of giving and the second to what is given.

[1:17]  ⁸ tn Or “All generous giving and every perfect gift from above is coming down.”

[1:17]  ⁹ tn Grk “variation or shadow of turning” (referring to the motions of heavenly bodies causing variations of light and darkness).

[1:1]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “James.” The word “From” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.

[1:1]  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.

[1:1]  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.

[4:8]  ¹³ tn Or “two-minded” (the same description used in 1:8).

[4:16]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “but now.”