neighbor

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The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “neighbor” in English is rendered into Babatana as “different man,” i.e. someone who is not one of your relatives. (Source: David Clark)

In North Alaskan Inupiatun, it is rendered as “a person outside of your building,” in Tzeltal as “your back and side” (implying position of the dwellings), in Indonesian and in Tae’ as “your fellow-man,” in Toraja-Sa’dan it is “your fellow earth-dweller,” in Shona (translation of 1966) as “another person like you,” in Kekchí “younger-brother-older-brother” (a compound which means all one’s neighbors in a community) (sources: Bratcher / Nida and Reiling / Swellengrebel), in Mairasi “your people” (source: Enggavoter 2004), in Mezquital Otomi as “fellow being,” in Tzeltal as “companion,” in Isthmus Zapotec as “another,” in Teutila Cuicatec as “all people” (source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.), and in most modern German translations as Mitmensch or “fellow human being” (lit. “with + human being”).

In Matt 19:19, Matt 22:39, Mark 12:31, Mark 12:33, Luke 10:27, Luke 10:29 it is translated into Ixcatlán Mazatec with a term that refers to a person who is socially/physically near. Ixcatlán Mazatec also has a another term for “neighbor” that means “fellow humans-outsiders” which was not chosen for these passages. (Source: Robert Bascom)

In Noongar it is translated as moorta-boordak or “people nearby” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).

judge (noun)

The Greek that is translated as “judge” in English is translated in Noongar as birdiyar djonanykarinyang or “boss of testing/judgement” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).

See also judge.

judge vs. condemn

The Greek terms krino and katakrino/katadikazo that are translated as “judge” and “condemn” respectively in English are translated with only one term in Kutu (tagusa). (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

See also do not condemn.

save

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The Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, and Latin that is translated as a form of “save” in English is translated in Shipibo-Conibo with a phrase that means literally “make to live,” which combines the meaning of “to rescue” and “to deliver from danger,” but also the concept of “to heal” or “restore to health.”

Other translations include:

  • San Blas Kuna: “help the heart”
  • Laka: “take by the hand” in the meaning of “rescue” or “deliver”
  • Huautla Mazatec: “lift out on behalf of”
  • Anuak: “have life because of”
  • Central Mazahua: “be healed in the heart”
  • Baoulé: “save one’s head”
  • Guerrero Amuzgo: “come out well”
  • Northwestern Dinka: “be helped as to his breath” (or “life”) (source for all above: Bratcher / Nida),
  • Matumbi: “rescue (from danger)” (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific notes in Paratext)
  • Noongar: barrang-ngandabat or “hold life” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • South Bolivian Quechua: “make to escape”
  • Highland Puebla Nahuatl: “cause people to come out with the aid of the hand” (source for this and one above: Nida 1947, p. 222)
  • Bariai: “retrieve one back” (source: Bariai Back Translation)

See also salvation and save (Japanese honorifics).

complete verse (James 4:12)

Following are a number of back-translations of James 4:12:

  • Uma: “For only one is worthy to give laws to mankind and to be the Judge/Decider. He is God, who has authority to punish us or free us from punishment. So we, who are we that we dare to criticize our companion!” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “God is the one who gave the law, there is no one else, and he is the judge. He is the only one who can save and can destroy. Therefore we (dual) have no authority to say that our (dual) companion is at fault.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “There is only one source of the law and that is God, and there is only one also who has the authority to investigate the behaviour of mankind, and that is also God. He is the one who punishes, and he is also the one who frees from punishment. But as for us (incl.) by contrast, we have no authority to decide who will be freed from punishment.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “God and no-other is who gave us the law and he alone has-authority to judge us. Neither is there another who is able to save and to punish us. If that is so, we people definitely have no authority to judge our fellow by saying that he is bad.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “For the truth is, God alone is where the law comes from and he alone is possible/acceptable as Judge. Because only he has authority to save/free or exterminate. But as for you (sing.), who are you (sing.) to pass judgment on your (sing.) fellowman?” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “But only God it is who gave the law and it is he who is the judge. He is the one who says which person will be saved or will go to punishment. But you, what right have you to judge the conduct of other people?” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on James 4:12

There is one lawgiver and judge: this lawgiver and judge is God. That God is judge is a common teaching in the Bible (Gen 18.25; Psa 82.1, 8; Rom 3.6; Heb 12.23). The Bible also says that God is the lawgiver (Psa 9.21 in the Septuagint; compare also Jer 9.13). The statement in Greek is literally “one there is the lawgiver and judge,” with focus and emphasis on the oneness of God. God alone is the lawgiver. He alone is not under any law. He alone is judge. In translation it may be desirable to make it clear that God is the lawgiver and judge, and at the same time to place emphasis on the oneness of God; for example, “God is the only lawgiver and judge” (Good News Translation) or “There is only one lawgiver and judge—God.”

James is obviously not saying that there should not be any lawgiver or judge in the world. He is emphasizing that God the lawgiver is the one and only true judge who can carry out his verdict, and that his verdict counts. In order to bring out this point clearly, we may say, for example, “God is the one who gave this law of love, and he is the one who judges us according to it.”

As the Lord of life and death, God is able to save and to destroy. That God can kill and make alive is a recurring theme in the Bible (Deut 32.39; 1 Sam 2.6; Matt 10.28) In saying this James may be suggesting that those who judge others condemn themselves. We are reminded of Paul’s rebuke of the “superior” Jews seeking to pass judgment on the Gentiles: “… for in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself…” (Rom 2.1; NRSV). Here James is talking about God’s absolute power to determine a person’s eternal destiny, either salvation or condemnation. The verb is able refers to God’s power and so may be rendered as “… has power to…” (Goodspeed). In some languages to save and to destroy may be too abstract, and therefore the translator may have to supply objects to make the actions more concrete; for example, “to save life [or, people] or destroy it [or, them]” (Revised English Bible), or even “to save us or destroy us,” or “to save our lives or kill us.” In some languages the construction to save and to destroy is more naturally rendered as “both to save and to destroy,” while in others it may be better to express the construction as showing an alternative relationship, “either to save or to destroy” (so Translator’s New Testament).

In translating this sentence translators may wish to follow the Good News Translation rendering for the following reasons. First, it makes clear the information that is not stated directly, namely that God is the lawgiver and judge. Secondly, it makes the participial expression “he who is…” a separate sentence, making it easier to understand and to translate into languages not accustomed to using this type of construction. Thirdly, it uses the word “alone” in the second sentence, in addition to the word “only” in the first sentence, to bring out the force of the Greek word “one” that appears as the first word in the sentence for emphasis.

But who are you that you judge your neighbor?: in closing the section James uses a rhetorical question to express scorn with some element of sarcasm. The purpose of this question is to bring shame to those guilty of passing judgment on their neighbors, for to pass judgment on a neighbor is to overstep due bounds; it steals God’s authority. The force of who are you…? may be rendered “Who do you think you are…?” (Good News Translation), “How can you…?” (Phillips), or “What right do you have to…?” (Contemporary English Version). If we wish to bring out the aspect of scorn more clearly, we may try to render the rhetorical question as an emphatic statement; for example, “You certainly have no right to…!” The word neighbor can be taken in the general sense of “fellow man” (so Barclay) or in the more restricted sense of “fellow believer.” See the discussion in 2.8.

An alternative translation model for this verse is:
• God is the one who gave this law, and he will judge us according to it. He alone has the power to save us or destroy us. So you certainly have no right to condemn your fellow Christians.

Quoted with permission from Loh, I-Jin and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on The Letter from James. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator's Notes on James 4:12

4:12a

There is only one Lawgiver and Judge: The Greek clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as There is only one Lawgiver and Judge is more literally “There is one lawgiver and judge” (as in the Revised Standard Version). The Berean Standard Bible and New International Version (2011 Revision) add the word only to make the meaning clearer in English.

The Greek text does not say explicitly who the Lawgiver and Judge is. But to James’ readers, it was obvious from the rest of the sentence that it is God. In some languages, it may be necessary to mention God explicitly. For example:

God is the only lawgiver and judge. (Good News Translation)

Lawgiver: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Lawgiver is a noun. In some languages, it is more natural to translate the word Lawgiver as a clause. For example:

the giver of the law
-or-
the one who gave the law

It may also be more natural to use a verb other than “give.” For example:

the one who made the law
-or-
God who wrote/commanded laws
-or-
God is where the law came from

Judge: Here the word Judge refers to God. He is the ultimate judge. He is the only one who has authority over the law and can be its judge. He is the only one who has authority to judge people concerning their eternal destiny (4:12b). This contrasts with humans, who do not have authority to judge the law, nor to decide the eternal destiny of people. In some languages, it may be good to make this contrast explicit. For example:

true Judge
-or-
ultimate Judge of the law and people

In some languages, it is more natural to translate the noun Judge as a clause. For example:

one who can judge all things

4:12b

the One who is able to save: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as to save means “to rescue from danger or trouble”. In this context, it refers to God rescuing people from eternal death and punishment.

Some other ways to translate this word are:

to free us from punishment
-or-
to rescue people
-or-
save from eternal death

This word also occurs in 1:21d and 2:14d.

4:12c

and destroy: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as destroy refers to eternal ruin and loss. It does not refer to an end of existence. Another way to translate this word is:

to punish us eternally

4:12d

But who are you to judge your neighbor?: This is a rhetorical question. It expresses a rebuke. James used this rhetorical question to rebuke those who were judging their neighbors. He has just stated in 4:12a–c that judging is God’s work. This rhetorical question implies, “You have no right to do that!”

Some ways to translate this rebuke are:

• As a rhetorical question. For example:

Who do you think you are, to judge someone else? (Good News Translation)
-or-
Why do you(sing) judge your neighbor?
-or-
Do you now think that you are that type of person that has power to judge his fellow person?

• As a statement. For example:

So it is not right for you to judge your neighbor. (New Century Version)

Translate this rebuke in a way that is natural in your language.

But who are you: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as But indicates a contrast. The contrast is between the word “One” (in 4:12b), that is, God, and you. James emphasized the pronoun you by making it the first word of this sentence and the New International Version (2011 Revision) reflects this emphasis by repeating the word you:

But you—who are you (New International Version (2011 Revision))

Verse 4:12d is also the conclusion to this paragraph. Another way to connect 4:12d to the rest of the verse is:

So (God’s Word)

judge: The word judge is the same word as in 4:11c. Some ways to translate it are:

• Follow the advice given at 4:11c:

condemn
-or-
harshly/severely accuse your neighbor of doing wrong
-or-
criticize/rebuke your neighbor in a mean/unkind manner

• Use your word for the work of a judge:

judge (verb)

• Combine both options (Both translation options (with the word “judge” or not) probably preserve part of James’ logic. 1) Using the word “judge” connects with James’ statement that there is only one Judge. God has the authority to judge people; we do not have authority to judge our brother or neighbor. 2) When we judge in the sense of “harshly criticizing” our brother, we fail to keep the command to love our neighbor. We, therefore, judge the law. But there is only one who has authority to judge the law, the one who gave it. We do not have this authority. Therefore, we do not have the right to judge our neighbor.) above:

criticize and judge

your neighbor: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as neighbor includes anyone that you know. It does not just mean someone who lives nearby or someone who belongs to the same language-group.

Some other ways to translate this word are:

someone else (Good News Translation)
-or-
anyone (Contemporary English Version)

The word neighbor also occurs in 2:8c–d.

© 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.