James 1:21

1:21 So put away all filth and evil excess and humbly ¹  welcome the message implanted within you, which is able to save your souls.

James 2:2

2:2 For if someone ²  comes into your assembly ³  wearing a gold ring and fine clothing, and a poor person enters in filthy clothes,

James 2:8

2:8 But if you fulfill the royal law as expressed in this scripture, ⁴  “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” ⁵  you are doing well.

James 2:18

2:18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” ⁶  Show me your faith without works and I will show you faith by ⁷  my works.

James 4:1

Passions and Pride

4:1 Where do the conflicts and where ⁸  do the quarrels among you come from? Is it not from this, ⁹  from your passions that battle inside you? ¹⁰ 

James 4:14

4:14 You ¹¹  do not know about tomorrow. What is your life like? ¹²  For you are a puff of smoke ¹³  that appears for a short time and then vanishes.

James 5:16

5:16 So confess your sins to one another and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great effectiveness. ¹⁴ 

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¹ tn Or “with meekness.”

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

³ tn Grk “synagogue.” Usually συναγωγή refers to Jewish places of worship (e.g., Matt 4:23, Mark 1:21, Luke 4:15, John 6:59). The word can be used generally to refer to a place of assembly, and here it refers specifically to a Christian assembly (BDAG 963 s.v. 2.b.).

⁴ tn Grk “according to the scripture.”

⁵ sn A quotation from Lev 19:18 (also quoted in Matt 19:19; 22:39; Mark 12:31; Luke 10:27; Rom 13:9; Gal 5:14).

⁶ tn There is considerable doubt about where the words of the “someone” end and where James’ reply begins. Some see the quotation running to the end of v. 18; others to the end of v. 19. But most punctuate as shown above. The “someone” is then an objector, and the sense of his words is something like, “Some have faith; others have works; don’t expect everyone to have both.” James’ reply is that faith cannot exist or be seen without works.

⁷ tn Or “from.”

⁸ tn The word “where” is repeated in Greek for emphasis.

⁹ tn Grk “from here.”

¹⁰ tn Grk “in your members [i.e., parts of the body].”

¹¹ tn Grk “who” (continuing the description of the people of v. 13). Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

¹² tn Or “you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow.”

¹³ tn Or “a vapor.” The Greek word ἀτμίς (atmis) denotes a swirl of smoke arising from a fire (cf. Gen 19:28; Lev 16:13; Joel 2:30 [Acts 2:19]; Ezek 8:11).

¹⁴ tn Or “the fervent prayer of a righteous person is very powerful”; Grk “is very powerful in its working.”