Paragraph 1:22–25
Believers must not forget the word of God that they had heard. They must do/obey it.
1:22
In 1:22, there are three clauses in Greek. The Berean Standard Bible follows the Greek order but some other English versions change the Greek order of these clauses. Compare the order of the clauses in the Berean Standard Bible and New International Version (2011 Revision) below.
22aBe doers of the word, 22band not hearers only, 22c…deceiving yourselves. (Berean Standard Bible)
22bDo not merely listen to the word, 22cand so deceive yourselves. 22aDo what it says. (New International Version (2011 Revision))
You should arrange the clauses in 1:22 in a way that is natural in your language. See the General Comment at the end of 1:22c for more discussion on reordering these clauses.
In Greek, this verse begins with a conjunction that means “But” in some contexts. Some English versions have translated it as “But” here. However, in this context, it is not indicating a contrast. It simply introduces the next point about the “word.” So, in many languages, no conjunction is necessary here.
1:22a
Be doers of the word: The clause Be doers of the word refers to those who always do what God’s word tells them to do. Such people put the word’s teaching into practice and regularly obey its commands.
Translate this clause in such a way that the action is habitual, repeated action.
Some other ways to translate this are:
Do what it says (New International Version (2011 Revision))
-or-
put it into practice (Good News Translation)
-or-
obey God’s message (Contemporary English Version)
the word: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the word refers to the gospel.
Some other ways to translate this word are:
God’s word (New Living Translation (2004 Revision))
-or-
God’s message
The same word occurs in 1:18a and 1:21c.
1:22b
and not hearers only: The clause and not hearers only indicates that it is not enough to just listen to someone preaching or reading from the word of God.
Some other ways to translate this clause are:
Do not only be hearers of the word
-or-
don’t just listen to God’s word (New Living Translation (2004 Revision))
-or-
You must do more than just hear God’s word/message
-or-
Do not limit yourselves to just hearing the gospel
Be careful not to translate this in a way that implies that it is not good to listen to the word.
not hearers only: The phrase hearers only refers to those who only hear the gospel teaching. They never do what it tells them to do.
In many languages, the usual word for “hear” includes the idea of obeying. If this is so in your language, be careful here to use an expression that describes hearing without obeying.
1:22c
Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as deceiving yourselves can also be translated as “fool yourselves.” It refers to wrong thinking that leads a person astray. Anyone who just listens to the message of the gospel but does not obey its commands is mistaken if he thinks that God is pleased.
Some other ways to translate this clause are:
or you will fool yourselves (God’s Word)
-or-
and lie to yourselves
General Comment on 1:22a–c
In Greek and the Berean Standard Bible, a clause with a positive command (“Be doers of the word”) comes first. This is followed by a clause with a negative command (“do not only be hearers”). The New International Version (2011 Revision) reverses the order of the positive and negative commands. Use the order that is most natural in your language.
Another possible way to translate the verse is:
He who hears the word and does not do what it says is deceiving himself. Therefore you should be people who both hear and do, not people who only hear.
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