2:6a
But: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as But here indicates a contrast. The contrast is between what God had done (chosen the poor) in 2:5, and what James’ readers had done (dishonored the poor) in 2:6.
you have dishonored: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as dishonored refers to being rude to someone by what you do or say. The believers whom James was addressing should have realized that the poor person was important to God. Instead they treated him as someone who deserved no respect.
Some other ways to translate this phrase are:
you have insulted (New International Version (2011 Revision))
-or-
you have humiliated
-or-
you have treated shamefully
-or-
you have shown no respect
you: The pronoun you is emphatic in Greek. One way to translate this is:
as for you, you
the poor: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the poor is singular. So James was probably referring again to his example, and the poor is the poor man of 2:2–3. For example:
the poor man (New Living Translation, 1996 edition)
2:6b–7b
The rhetorical questions in 2:6b–7b all imply that it was foolish to honor the rich, because they were the very ones who were being cruel to Christian believers. You may be able to show this by making some of this information explicit in 2:6. For example:
2:6aBut you have dishonored the poor and honored the rich. Why?. 2:6bIs it not the rich who are exploiting you?
-or-
2:6aBut you have insulted the poor. 2:6bYou are foolish! Is it not the rich who oppress you?
2:6b–c
In Greek and the Berean Standard Bible, 2:6b–c forms one rhetorical question. Some translations, however, translate 2:6b–c as two rhetorical questions. For example:
Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? (New International Version (2011 Revision))
Do whatever is clearest and easiest to understand in your language.
2:6b
Is it not the rich who oppress you: This is a rhetorical question. James used this rhetorical question to emphasize that it was the rich people who were exploiting the believers. He implied that his readers knew this very well. For that reason, their custom of treating the rich better than the poor did not make much sense.
Some ways to translate this emphasis are:
• As a rhetorical question. For example:
are not the rich your oppressors? (Revised English Bible)
-or-
It is the rich people who are oppressing you, right?
• As a statement. For example:
The rich are always trying to control your lives. (New Century Version)
-or-
You know that it’s the rich people who oppress you.
Translate this emphasis in a way that is natural in your language.
the rich: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the rich is plural. James was referring to rich people in general. For example:
rich people (God’s Word)
oppress: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as oppress means “oppressing, dominating, causing severe hardship.” James meant that rich people were using their power against the poor and making them suffer while helping themselves to become richer.
Some other ways to translate this word are:
taking advantage of you
-or-
mistreating you
-or-
control your lives (New Century Version)
-or-
causing you to suffer
2:6c
and drag you into court?: This is a rhetorical question. James again emphasized that it was the rich people who were mistreating believers.
Some ways to translate this emphasis are:
• As a rhetorical question. For example:
Is it not they who drag you into court? (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
It is the rich people who drag you into court, right?
• As a statement. For example:
It is the rich people who are forcing you to appear before the law court.
-or-
They are the ones who take you to court. (New Century Version)
Translate this emphasis in a way that is natural in your language.
drag you into court: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as drag means “forcing to go.” Rich people were taking poor people to court, making false accusations against them, and treating them unjustly.
Some other ways to translate this phrase are:
take you to court (New Century Version)
-or-
force you to go before the judges
© 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.