1:6a
But: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as But introduces an additional requirement for a person to receive wisdom. The person who wants to be wise must:
(a) ask God (1:5b)
(b) believe and not doubt (1:6b)
Some other ways to translate this conjunction are:
And
-or-
In addition
This conjunction does not indicate a contrast with 1:5.
he must ask: The words he must ask refer back to “he should ask” in 1:5b. In 1:6a James went on to tell his readers how they should ask for wisdom.
he: The pronoun he refers to the same person as in 1:5a. Consider whether it would be more natural here to use “he,” “they,” “we” or “you.” Refer back to your translation of 1:5 and be consistent.
1:6b
in faith, without doubting: There are two ways to interpret the clause in faith, without doubting:
(1) The person must believe/trust in God and Christ with his whole heart. He must be firmly committed to God and to Jesus as the Messiah. He must not trust anyone else or anything else, and he must not waver in his commitment. For example, the New Living Translation (2004 Revision) says:
be sure that your faith is in God alone
(New Living Translation (2004 Revision))
(2) The person must believe that God will answer his prayer for wisdom. He must not be uncertain whether God will give him wisdom or not. For example, the New Living Translation, 1996 edition says:
be sure that you really expect him to answer
(New Living Translation, 1996 edition)
Most English versions are ambiguous, and there is good support among the commentators for both interpretations. (Interpretation (1) is supported by Mayor, page 39 (he compares 4:4 and Matthew 6:24); Ropes, page 140; Hiebert, page 84; Davids (1982), page 73; Moo (1985), page 64; Mitton, page 31; Tasker, page 42.Interpretation (2) is supported by Alford, page 277; Huther, page 50; Adamson (1976), pages 57–58; Laws, page 57.) So if you can leave your translation ambiguous here, you should do so. However, if you must make a choice, it is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). Interpretation (1) fits well with the idea of “the testing of your faith” in 1:3b. It also fits well with the description of the person as “double-minded and unstable in all his ways” in 1:8a–b.
Some other ways to translate this clause are:
he must firmly trust in God/Jesus and not doubt/waver
-or-
he must trust in God/Jesus without any hesitation
Notice that in faith, without doubting is another positive statement followed by its negative restatement (See the note on “not lacking anything” at 1:4c.). Together they emphasize that complete faith is necessary.
Another way to translate this expression is:
truly believe/trust
without doubting: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as doubting can also be translated as “wavering.” It means “continue to change one’s mind or commitment.” This refers to not being firm and constant in one’s commitment to trust Jesus as God’s Messiah.
Some other ways to translate this word are:
nothing wavering (King James Version)
-or-
not waver in his trust/commitment
-or-
not continually changing his mind about trusting Jesus
-or-
not have two minds/hearts about this
1:6c
because: The conjunction because introduces the basis for James’ command in 1:6b. A person who asks God for something must believe and not doubt/waver (1:6a–b), because he who doubts/wavers is like a wave (1:6c).
In some languages, no conjunction is necessary to introduce the basis for James’ command. For example:
6aBut when you ask for something, 6byou must have faith and not doubt. 6cAnyone who doubts is like… (Contemporary English Version)
he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind: The phrase is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind is a simile. In this simile, a person who doubts/wavers is compared to a wave. They are similar in that neither one is stable. A wave is never stable or still because the wind blows it around in different directions. A person who wavers is not stable because he keeps changing his mind about what he believes.
One way to translate this simile is to make explicit how a person who doubts/wavers is similar to a wave. For example:
a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. (New Living Translation (2004 Revision))
-or-
the person who wavers is always changing what he believes. He is like a wave that always changes as it is blown and tossed by the wind
a wave of the sea: The phrase a wave of the sea refers to the action of the water in a sea moving up and down, and back and forth in relation to the surface.
Some other ways to translate this phrase are:
• Describe waves. For example:
the moving of the water on the sea/lake
-or-
the constantly changing water of the sea
-or-
the swells of water in a sea
• In areas where waves and the sea are well-known, the word wave may include the idea of sea. It may not be necessary to add the phrase of the sea. For example:
wave
• In areas where there are no large bodies of water, it may be possible to translate this phrase simply as:
water
blown and tossed by the wind: The Greek words that the Berean Standard Bible translates as blown and tossed are passive. There are at least two ways to translate them:
• Use passive verbs. For example:
blown and tossed around by the wind (NET Bible)
• Use active verbs. For example:
that the wind blows and throws around
In some languages, it will be more natural to use one expression for the two verbs in the phrase blown and tossed by the wind. For example:
that the wind blows in every direction
-or-
The wind causes the waves of the sea to go in every direction
-or-
tossed around in a storm (Contemporary English Version)
blown: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as blown refers to the way the wind can move and lift the surface of the water in many different directions.
tossed: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as tossed is similar in meaning to the word translated as blown. The picture is of the water being thrown into the air by the wind.
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