1:27
Verse 1:26 is about the sort of behavior that is a wrong way of showing devotion to God. In 1:27, James explained how to do what really pleases God.
See the General Comment on 1:27a–c at the end of 1:27c for ways to reorder this verse.
1:27a
Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: This clause is literally “Religion pure and undefiled before God is this.”
Pure and undefiled: The two Greek words that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Pure and undefiled have the same general meaning: “without any fault.” In some languages, it may be more natural to find one word to translate both terms. If your language is like that, you should try and intensify that word to convey James’ emphasis here. For example:
completely pure
Pure: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Pure means “clean.” Here it is used in a figurative sense to mean “having no sin.” It has a very positive sense.
undefiled: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as undefiled means “unpolluted” or “faultless.” It conveys a positive sense by saying “not anything is bad” about it.
Some other ways to translate this word are:
without fault (New Century Version)
-or-
genuine (Good News Translation)
-or-
spotless (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
without sin
Some other ways to translate this clause are:
Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
What God the Father considers to be pure and genuine religion is this: (Good News Translation)
-or-
Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means (New Living Translation (2004 Revision))
-or-
Religion that pleases God the Father must be pure and spotless. (Contemporary English Version)
our God and Father: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as our God and Father is literally “the God and father.” The Berean Standard Bible has supplied the word our. Another way to translate this phrase is:
God the Father (Good News Translation)
1:27b
to care for orphans and widows: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as to look after literally means “to visit” (as in the Revised Standard Version). In this context, it means “to take care of,” “to care for,” or “to help” orphans and widows. For example:
to take care of orphans and widows (God’s Word)
-or-
we must care for orphans and widows (New Living Translation, 1996 edition)
-or-
You must help…orphans and widows (Contemporary English Version)
Use an expression that is natural in your language for caring for widows and orphans.
orphans: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as orphans refers to children whose father had died. It also refers to children whose father and mother have died. If the word “orphan” in your language refers only to those who have lost both a mother and a father, then you may want to translate this word as:
the fatherless
in their distress: The phrase in their distress refers to both orphans and widows. It does not just refer to widows.
The word distress also means “affliction,” “suffering,” or “troubles.”
In Jewish society, orphans and widows were the people who needed help most frequently. James did not mean that all orphans and widows always suffer. So it may be natural to translate this phrase as:
when they suffer (God’s Word)
-or-
who are suffering
1:27c
and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as from being polluted is literally “unstained” (as in the Revised Standard Version). This word also means “spotless” or “without blemish.” Here it is used in a spiritual sense. Just as we try to keep dirt from staining our clothing, so we should keep the world from having a negative effect on our lives.
Some other ways to translate this are:
and to keep oneself from being corrupted by the world (Good News Translation)
-or-
and keeping oneself uncontaminated by the world (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
and refusing to let the world corrupt you. (New Living Translation (2004 Revision))
-or-
and not let this world make you evil (Contemporary English Version)
by the world: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the world here refers to every person in the world who is opposed to God and who tempts God’s people to sin against him. God’s people become polluted by the world when they begin to act and think like the ungodly people of the world.
Some other ways to translate this phrase are:
those who are against God
-or-
behavior that is opposed to God
-or-
by the evil which is being done by God’s enemies
General Comment on 1:27a–c
In some languages, it may be more natural to change the order of the clauses in this verse. For example:
27bWhen you take care of widows and orphans in their distress, 27cand you keep yourself from being polluted by the world, 27athis is the type of religion that God considers to be pure and undefiled.
-or-
27aA person whose worship of God is completely genuine 27cavoids the evil behavior that people here on the earth do. 27bHe takes good care of orphans and widows who are in difficulty. 27aThis is the way which our Father God likes for us to worship him.
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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.