4:15a

Instead, you ought to say: The clause Instead, you ought to say means “Rather than saying today or tomorrow we will do this and that, you ought to saywhat follows.” Some English versions do not use the word Instead. They use another construction to indicate the contrast between this verse and 4:13.

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

What you should say is this: (Good News Translation)
-or-
Instead of saying that, here is what you should say
-or-
Rather than talking about your plans, what you should say is this:

4:15b

If the Lord is willing: The clause If the Lord is willing means “If the Lord wants us to live and do these things.” Some other ways to translate this clause are:

If the Lord wants
-or-
If the Lord desires it
-or-
If the Lord agrees
-or-
If the Lord God likes

the Lord: The phrase the Lord refers to God. It means “Master”, the One who has supreme authority over everyone and everything. See the note at 4:10a.

4:15c

we will live: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as we will live means “we shall continue to live.” For example:

we shall still be alive (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)

In some languages, it may be necessary to add a word to indicate that this verb begins the second part of an “if” clause. For example:

then we will live (NET Bible)

4:15d

and do this or that: The Greek expression that the Berean Standard Bible translates as this or that refers to the particular event that the traders planned to do. (See Davids (1982), page 173; Hiebert, page 278. Most commentators do not discuss this point.) They planned to do business and make money.

Some other ways to translate this expression are:

We will do these things. (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
carry out our plans (God’s Word)
-or-
do so-and-so (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)

James was saying that people should continue to make definite plans but should make them subject to the condition: “If it is the Lord’s will.”

General Comment on 4:15b–d

In some languages, it will be necessary to include parts of 4:15c–d in the “If” clause of 4:15c. For example:

bIf the Lord wants us cto live dand do this or that, it will happen.
-or-
If the Lord wants us to live, we will live. If he wants us to do this or that, we will do it.

© 2012 by SIL International®

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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.