1:23a–24b

This is a type of comparison called a simile. In this simile, a man who listens to the word (in 1:23a–b) is compared to a man who looks at his face in a mirror (in 1:23c–24b). Some ways that they are similar are that:

(a) they both realize something about themselves that they ought to act on

(b) they carelessly neglect to do anything about it

Part of what is similar is implied but not stated in this comparison. If what is similar is not clear, then it may be necessary to include some of the implied information in your translation. For example:

^23aFor anyone who hears the word ^23bbut does not carry it out ^23cis like a man who looks at his face in a mirror ^24aand after observing something he should do, ^24bgoes away and immediately forgets/neglects to do anything about it.

1:23a–b

In Greek and the Berean Standard Bible, this verse begins with a conjunction that means “for” or “because.” This conjunction introduces the basis for James’ command in 1:22. Most English versions do not translate this conjunction. Consider whether you need a conjunction or phrase in your language to make the relationship between 1:22 and 1:23 clear.

For anyone who hears the word but does not carry it out: In Greek, this clause is literally, “For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer.” Translate “hearer” and “doer” in the same way in which you translated them in 1:22.

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

If someone listens to God’s word but doesn’t do what it says (God’s Word)
-or-
If you hear the message and don’t obey it (Contemporary English Version)

1:23c

is like: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as is like means “to be similar to.” The person in 1:23a–b is compared to the person in 1:23c–24b.

a man: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as a man here means “someone.” It normally refers to a male, but in this context the word introduces a general statement that is true of either a man or a woman (as in 1:12a).

Some other ways to translate this word are:

someone (NET Bible)
-or-
a person (God’s Word)

who looks at his face in a mirror: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as looks at means “to look at something so as to notice what it is like.” The person does not just give a quick glance at his image in the mirror. He looks carefully enough to observe what his face is like. (See the discussion in Adamson (1989), page 407.)

Some other ways to translate this are:

carefully looks at himself in a mirror
-or-
observes his reflection

his face: The Greek expression that the Berean Standard Bible translates as his face is literally “the face of his existence/origin.” It apparently means his physical face, his face in its natural state. For example:

his natural face (Revised Standard Version)

This perhaps indicates that his face was dirty or he needed to trim his beard, or the woman needed to adjust her make-up. The person saw that he needed to correct something about his appearance but was foolish and did nothing about it (1:24a–b).

© 2012 by SIL International®

Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0

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.