Acts 15:23

15:23 They sent this letter with them: ¹ 

From the apostles ²  and elders, your brothers, ³  to the Gentile brothers and sisters ⁴  in Antioch, ⁵  Syria, ⁶  and Cilicia, greetings!

James 1:1

Salutation

1:1 From James, ⁷  a slave ⁸  of God and the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes dispersed abroad. ⁹  Greetings!

James 1:3

1:3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

James 1:14

1:14 But each one is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desires.

[15:23]  ¹ tn Grk “writing by their hand” (an idiom for sending a letter).

[15:23]  ² tn Grk “The apostles.” The word “from” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.

[15:23]  ³ tn Grk “brothers,” but “your” is supplied to specify the relationship, since without it “brothers” could be understood as vocative in English.

[15:23]  ⁴ tn Grk “to the brothers who are from the Gentiles.”

[15:23]  ⁵ sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia).

[15:23]  ⁶ tn Grk “and Syria,” but καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.

[1:1]  ⁷ 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]  ⁸ 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]  ⁹ 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.