6:4a

There is a contrast here. The contrast is between the person who deceives himself into thinking that he is something (6:3) and the person who tests his own work and accurately knows whether he has done something well. Paul introduced this contrast with a Greek conjunction that many English versions translate as “but.” The Berean Standard Bible has not translated this conjunction, and some other versions, such as the New International Version and NET Bible, also do not translate it. In some languages, it will not be necessary to translate this conjunction either. Connect 6:4a to 6:3b in a way that is natural in your language.

Each one should test his own work: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as test also means “examine” or “judge” in the sense of “evaluate.” The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as work means “deeds” or “actions.” This means that each person should evaluate his own actions to see if they are good or bad. He should not compare his actions with other people’s actions.

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

Each of you must examine your own actions. (God’s Word)
-or-
Let every man learn to assess properly the value of his own work. (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)
-or-
Each person should test/evaluate his own deeds ?to see if they are good? .
-or-
Each person must look at his own deeds and see if they are good.

6:4b

There is some implied information here. It is “if he has seen that his deeds are good.” For example:

If it is good, then (Good News Translation)
-or-
If his deeds are good, then

Then he will have reason to boast in himself alone: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as reason to boast means “the thing of which one is proud” or “that in which one rejoices.” The Bible often mentions that “boasting” and “pride” are sins. But here the Greek word is used in a good sense.

In many languages, the word boast is only used in a negative sense of excessive bragging. These languages may have to use a word or phrase such as “be glad” or “be happy about himself.”

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

then you can be proud of what you yourself have done (Good News Translation)
-or-
Then you can be proud of your own accomplishments (God’s Word)
-or-
then he can be glad/happy because of what he himself has done

6:4c

and not in someone else: This phrase means that a person’s reason for happiness should not be in comparing himself with someone else. He should not compare himself to other people and be happy only if he is better than they are.

Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

without having to compare it with what someone else has done (Good News Translation)
-or-
He should not be happy that what he has done is better than what someone else has done.
-or-
But don’t compare yourself with others. (Contemporary English Version)

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