5:9a

Do not complain about one another: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as complain refers to being discontented with others and blaming them for problems. Blaming others is a way of judging them. It is accusing them of doing something wrong. So this “grumbling” leads to the consequent action mentioned in 5:9b. (See 4:11 and Matthew 7:1.)

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

Don’t grumble against each other (New International Version (2011 Revision))
-or-
Do^(plur) not talk against your fellow believers or accuse them

one another: The phrase one another refers to other Christians. Christians should not grumble against one another. See examples above for ways to translate this.

brothers: Notice that the Berean Standard Bible places the word brothers at the end of 5:9a. In some languages, it is more natural to place it at the beginning of the verse. For example:

Brothers and sisters, do not complain against each other (New Century Version)

The word brothers last occurred in 5:7a.

5:9b

so that you will not be judged: The Greek clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates literally as so that you will not be judged indicates the basis for what James wrote in 5:9a. It indicates that James’ readers will be judged if they continue grumbling about one another.

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

or you will be judged guilty (New Century Version)
-or-
if you^(plur) do, you will be condemned

will not be judged: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as will not be judged here describes part of the process of judging. It is the part when a judge decides and declares that a person is guilty/wrong. Connected with this decision and pronouncement is the idea that the person will be punished. Here James was saying that the Lord will declare guilty the person who grumbles about another Christian brother.

Some other ways to translate this are:

will not be condemned
-or-
will not be declared/pronounced to be wrong
-or-
will not be guilty of sin

God’s judgment here does not refer to eternal condemnation and punishment in hell. The word judged also occurs with a similar meaning in 2:12a and 2:13a.

James did not say who would do the judging. There are two possibilities:

(1) It is the Lord Jesus Christ.

(2) It is God the Father. For example:

so that God will not judge you (Good News Translation)

It is preferable that you do not distinguish between God the Father and Jesus here. So if you must say who will judge, it is recommended that you say “the Lord.” In 5:8, James said that the Lord would soon come, and in 5:9c he said that the Judge is standing at the door. It is likely that he was thinking about the same event. (In 4:12 James said that there was only one Judge, God, the Lawgiver. But most commentators think that here James is thinking of Christ, who is soon to come back (see Martin, page 192; Hiebert, page 301; SSA, page 146; cf. Ropes, page 297; Laws, page 213).)

5:9c

Look: In Greek, this sentence begins with a word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Look and the Revised Standard Version translates as “behold”. This word calls attention to something surprising. The New International Version (2011 Revision) uses an exclamation mark at the end of the sentence to show this surprise.

Some other ways to translate this word are:

Do not be surprised!
-or-
Listen to this!

You should use whatever expression is natural in your language for showing surprise. This same word occurs in 5:4a–b.

the Judge: Commentators disagree as to whether the Judge refers to the Lord Jesus Christ or to God the Father. If you have made explicit who will judge in 5:9b, you will need to make sure that this refers to the same person.

If you need to make it clear that James is not referring to a human judge it is recommended that you say “the Lord.” For example:

the Lord, the one who will judge all people

standing at the door: This is a Greek idiom. It means “nearly here” (as in Matthew 24:33). There are at least two ways to translate this idiom:

• Keep the idiom. For example:

stands before the gates! (NET Bible)
-or-
right outside the door (Contemporary English Version)

• Translate the meaning. For example:

ready to appear. (Good News Translation)
-or-
ready to come! (New Century Version)

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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.