Yakobus 1:12-20

1:12 Happy is the one ¹  who endures testing, because when he has proven to be genuine, he will receive the crown of life that God ²  promised to those who love him. 1:13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted by evil, ³  and he himself tempts no one. 1:14 But each one is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desires. 1:15 Then when desire conceives, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is full grown, it gives birth to death. 1:16 Do not be led astray, my dear brothers and sisters. ⁴  1:17 All generous giving and every perfect gift ⁵  is from above, coming down ⁶  from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or the slightest hint of change. ⁷  1:18 By his sovereign plan he gave us birth ⁸  through the message of truth, that we would be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

Living Out the Message

1:19 Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters! ⁹  Let every person be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger. 1:20 For human ¹⁰  anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness. ¹¹ 

[1:12]  ¹ tn The word for “man” or “individual” here is ἀνήρ (anhr), which often means “male” or “man (as opposed to woman).” However, as BDAG 79 s.v. 2 says, here it is “equivalent to τὶς someone, a person.”

[1:12]  ² tc Most mss ([C] P 0246 Ï) read ὁ κύριος (Jo kurio", “the Lord”) here, while others have ὁ θεός (Jo qeo", “God”; 4 33^vid 323 945 1739 al). However, several important and early witnesses (̲³ א A B Ψ 81 co) have no explicit subject. In light of the scribal tendency toward clarification, and the fact that both κύριος and θεός are well represented, there can be no doubt that the original text had no explicit subject. The referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity, not because of textual basis.

[1:13]  ³ tn Or “God must not be tested by evil people.”

[1:16]  ⁴ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:2.

[1:17]  ⁵ tn The first phrase refers to the action of giving and the second to what is given.

[1:17]  ⁶ tn Or “All generous giving and every perfect gift from above is coming down.”

[1:17]  ⁷ tn Grk “variation or shadow of turning” (referring to the motions of heavenly bodies causing variations of light and darkness).

[1:18]  ⁸ tn Grk “Having willed, he gave us birth.”

[1:19]  ⁹ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:2.

[1:20]  ¹⁰ tn The word translated “human” here is ἀνήρ (anhr), which often means “male” or “man (as opposed to woman).” But it sometimes is used generically to mean “anyone,” “a person” (cf. BDAG 79 s.v. 2), and in this context, contrasted with “God’s righteousness,” the point is “human” anger (not exclusively “male” anger).

[1:20]  ¹¹ sn God’s righteousness could refer to (1) God’s righteous standard, (2) the righteousness God gives, (3) righteousness before God, or (4) God’s eschatological righteousness (see P. H. Davids, James [NIGTC], 93, for discussion).