4:2a–f
Scholars disagree over how to punctuate this verse. The problem centers on how the word “kill/murder” is connected to the rest of the verse. The two interpretations are:
(1) The verb “kill/murder” is primarily connected to what comes before it. So it should be separated from what follows by strong punctuation, such as a full stop. For example, the English Standard Version says:
You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel.
(New International Version, 2011 edition, Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, Revised English Bible, Contemporary English Version, New American Standard Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, God’s Word, New Living Translation (2004 Revision), English Standard Version)
(2) The verb “kill/murder” is primarily related to what comes after it. (Alford, page 312; Huther, page 176; Adamson (1976), page 167–168; Davids (1982), page 158; Martin, page 140–141. It is also the punctuation of Westcott & Hort in the text, and of the UBS Handbook Greek New Testament.) So there should be punctuation separating it from what comes before it. For example, the NET Bible says:
You desire and you do not have; you murder and envy and you cannot obtain; you quarrel and fight.
(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version (1984 Revision), NET Bible, New Century Version, King James Version)
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). This is the interpretation that the majority of English versions follow.
See the General Comment on 4:2a–f at the end of 4:2f for examples of how this verse can be reordered.
4:2a
You crave: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as You crave is literally “You want/desire.” James did not say what his readers wanted or desired. In some languages, it may be more natural to supply an object, as the Berean Standard Bible has done. For example:
You want something (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
You want things (New Century Version)
-or-
You want what you don’t have (New Living Translation (2004 Revision))
4:2b
what you do not have: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as what here introduces a contrast that many versions translate as “but.” The contrast is between what people want and what they actually have. For example:
you want something but don’t get it (New International Version (2011 Revision))
you do not have: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates literally as you do not have indicates that the believers were not receiving the thing or things that they wanted.
Some other ways to translate this verb are:
don’t have (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
you do not have them (New Century Version)
4:2c
you kill: The clause you kill is a result of not having what you want. In some languages, it is more natural to make the relation between 4:2b and 4:2c clear by supplying a conjunction. For example:
2aYou want 2bwhat you don’t have, 2cso you commit murder. (God’s Word)
kill: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as kill normally means “murder” (as in 2:11a–b). Here it is probably a hyperbole. James used this word to startle his readers. He warned them that if they were not careful, their bad desires would soon lead to actual murder. (Ropes, page 255; Laws, page 172.) It is unlikely that James’ readers were actually killing one another. If they had been killing one another, he would have written more to criticize them even more harshly.
Some ways to translate this word are:
• Translate it literally. For example:
you murder (English Standard Version)
If you translate it literally, it may be good to add a footnote saying that this is an exaggeration.
• Translate it in a way that shows that cases of murder had not actually occurred. For example:
you are ready to kill (Good News Translation)
4:2d
covet: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as covet means “desire to possess something that someone else has.” This could be a material possession (like a big house) or a special honor or position of authority. (Some translations understand the Greek verb here to mean “to envy, be jealous of [someone]” (New American Standard Bible, Revised English Bible, New Living Translation (2004 Revision), NET Bible). This is also a valid possibility, but it does not fit so well with the next verb, “you cannot have,” which implies the object is a thing, not a person.)
Some other ways to translate this word are:
you(plur) want what someone else has
-or-
you strongly desire things (Good News Translation)
-or-
You are jealous of what others have (New Living Translation (2004 Revision))
4:2e
but are unable to obtain it: The Greek clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as are unable to obtain it is more literally “you are not able to obtain.” This clause indicates that the believers were unable to get the thing or things that they were coveting. As in 4:2b, it may be natural to supply an object. For example:
cannot obtain it (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
you cannot get them (Good News Translation)
-or-
you(plur) are not able to get what you want
4:2f
You quarrel and fight: The clause You quarrel and fight is the result of not obtaining what you want. In some languages, it is more natural to make this relationship between 4:2e and 4:2f clear by supplying a conjunction. For example:
2ebut you cannot get them, 2fso you quarrel and fight (Good News Translation)
quarrel and fight: The verbs quarrel and fight are related to the nouns “fights and quarrels” in 4:1a. So the translations of them should correspond if possible. Try to use words that can include both verbal disputes and physical fighting.
Another way to translate these verbs is:
argue and fight (New Century Version)
The verbs quarrel and fight are a doublet. This means that these two words mean almost the same thing. In some languages, the two verbs can be translated by a single verb. For example:
2eyou cannot have what you want, 2fso you fight with each other.
General Comment on 4:2a–f
Verse 4:2a–f is made up of two sentences. Each sentence tells what the people want and how they react when they do not get what they want. In some languages, it is more natural to first tell how people react and then the reason that they react that way. For example:
2cYou kill each other 2bbecause you do not have 2awhat you crave. 2fYou quarrel and fight each other 2ebecause you are unable to obtain 2dwhat you covet.
4:2g
You do not have: Here James left some words implicit. In some languages, it may be necessary to supply this implicit information. For example:
You don’t have the things you want (God’s Word)
-or-
You do not have what you want (Good News Translation)
4:2h
because: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as because introduces the reason that people do not get what they desire.
you do not ask: Although the Berean Standard Bible translates this clause literally, many English versions supply the word God to make clear whom the people did not ask.
This clause refers to praying to God. For example:
because you don’t pray for them. (God’s Word)
General Comment on 4:2g–h
Verse 4:2g–h gives the reason that people do not get what they want. In some languages, it is more natural to change the order of these clauses. For example:
2hYou do not ask God for what you want, 2gso/therefore you do not have what you want.
This is a general statement about a situation that frequently happened. It does not mean, however, that James’ readers never asked God for things. This is made clear in 2:3.
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