4:17
Anyone, then, who knows the right thing to do, yet fails to do it, is guilty of sin: In this sentence, James warned people to behave properly. He stated the warning in general terms, but he was probably warning people against making plans with a boastful attitude (4:13–16). He wanted people to be humble when they made plans for the future. (Commentators disagree on what James is talking about. There are three interpretations:(1) The verse refers to the topic of making plans with a boastful attitude (4:13–16). In this context doing the good he ought to do means being humble when making plans, as James recommended in 4:15. (Interpretation (1) is followed by Alford, page 319; Adamson (1976), page 181; Hiebert, page 280; Moo (1985), page 158.(2) In the good he ought to do the idea of “doing good” means doing good deeds (see chapter 2). The traders were guilty of trying to make a profit for themselves instead of sharing it with the poor. (Interpretation (2) is followed by Laws, page 193.)(3) The statement does not refer particularly to this paragraph, but to all the teaching that James has given so far. (Interpretation (3) is followed by Mayor, page 147; Mitton, page 172; and apparently by Revised Standard Version since that version omits the connecting word then.)All three of these interpretations are supported by different commentators. However, three points show that James meant this verse to be understood together with the verses before it (4:13–16), as in interpretation (1).First, the verse has a connecting word in the Greek, translated then. Secondly, the word good is the opposite of the word “evil” in 4:16. Thirdly, if James wanted this statement to apply to all his teaching, he would have put it near the end of chapter 5.Interpretation (1) is recommended because it is the only interpretation in which this verse is understood together with 4:13–16.)
Some other ways to translate this verse are:
Therefore, the person who knows the good thing to do in this situation, but he does not do it, he has sinned.
-or-
You know what is the right thing to do in this matter. So if you do not do it, you have sinned.
4:17a
Anyone…who knows: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Anyone who knows refers to people in general. Use whichever word is appropriate when warning people in your language. For example:
Whoever knows (God’s Word)
-or-
we know (Good News Translation)
-or-
you know (Contemporary English Version)
then: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as then here introduces the conclusion of all that James wrote in 4:13–16. Some other ways to translate this conjunction are:
So then (Good News Translation)
-or-
So (NET Bible)
-or-
Therefore
knows the right thing to do: The phrase the right thing to do refers to doing what is right. It probably refers to acting in a humble way when planning for the future.
Some other ways to translate this phrase are:
knows what is right to do (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
the good he ought to do (New International Version (2011 Revision))
4:17c
is guilty of sin: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as is guilty of sin is literally “to him it is sin.” This is an Old Testament expression. (Deuteronomy 15:9; 23:21–22; 24:15.) The meaning is “it is counted against him by God as sin.” In other words, God considers him guilty of committing a sin.
Some other ways to translate this phrase are:
sins (New International Version (2011 Revision))
-or-
commits sin (New Revised Standard Version)
This word also occurs in 1:15b. See the note there for more details.
Paragraph 5:1–6
5:1a
Come now: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates literally as Come now is an idiomatic way of getting people’s attention. This expression introduces a warning. So you should use words or an expression that are natural in your language to indicate that the next words are a serious matter. James was about to say something that his hearers would not be happy to hear.
Some other ways to translate this expression are:
And now…listen to me (Good News Translation)
-or-
Pay attention to this (God’s Word)
-or-
Think carefully about what I am going to say
Here the word now is not the time word that means “at the present time.”
you who are rich: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as you who are rich is literally “the rich men.” James was probably referring to rich landowners who were not Christians.
Some other ways to translate this word are:
you rich (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
if you’re rich (God’s Word)
-or-
you(plur) who are rich
As mentioned above, in some languages it may be more natural to translate this section without using the pronouns “you.” For example:
rich people
5:1b
weep and wail: The two Greek words that the Berean Standard Bible translates as weep and wail are a doublet. This means that these two words mean almost the same thing. In some languages, both words can be translated by emphasizing one action. For example:
cry loudly
weep: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as weep means to “cry.” For example, the Contemporary English Version says:
cry
This same Greek word occurs in 4:9a.
wail: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as wail means to make a loud screaming noise that expresses great emotion. It generally includes “crying.”
Some other ways to translate this word are:
howl (English Standard Version)
-or-
cry aloud (NET Bible)
5:1c
over the misery to come upon you: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates literally as over is a preposition. It also means “on.” For example:
over the miseries that are coming upon you (Good News Translation)
-or-
about the misery that is coming to you (God’s Word)
It is also possible to start a new sentence here. For example:
Terrible things are going to happen to you. (Contemporary English Version)
misery: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as misery is plural. For example:
miseries (Good News Translation)
This word means “great pains/ sufferings.” Some other ways to translate this word are:
terrible troubles (New Living Translation (2004 Revision))
-or-
hardships
-or-
great suffering
to come: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as to come means that rich people had not yet experienced this trouble. It would happen to them in the future.
In some languages, it is not natural to say that “misery” is to come. If that is true in your language, you may need to say something like:
because of the miseries that God will send/give you(plur)
-or-
because you are going to be miserable
-or-
Terrible things are going to happen to you. (Contemporary English Version)
upon you: Some other ways to translate upon you are:
on you
-or-
to you
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All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible. BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.