Paragraph 4:1–3

In this paragraph, James discussed why Christian people quarrel with each other. He introduced this topic by means of a rhetorical question (4:1a). He then responded to his question, using another rhetorical question (4:1b). Christians quarrel because they selfishly desire things. In 4:2–3 he explained the answer in more detail.

4:1a

What causes conflicts and quarrels among you?: This is a rhetorical question. James used this rhetorical question to introduce a new topic. He wanted his readers to think about what was causing people in the church to quarrel and fight with one another.

Some ways to introduce this new topic are:

• As a rhetorical question. For example:

Where do all the fights and quarrels among you come from? (Good News Translation)

• As a command/imperative form to draw the readers’ attention to the new topic. For example:

Now consider what causes you(plur) to fight…
-or-
Think about why you(plur) fight….

• As a statement expressing James’ wish. For example:

I want you(plur) to think about why you fight.

Use a natural way in your language to introduce this new topic.

What causes: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as What causes is more literally “From where.” For example:

Where do the conflicts and where do the quarrels among you come from? (NET Bible)

The conflicts and quarrels come from inside people. So in some languages, it is more natural to say:

What causes…
-or-
Why do you fight and argue with each other? (Contemporary English Version)

conflicts and quarrels: The Greek words that the Berean Standard Bible translates as conflicts and quarrels refer to serious conflicts. These words can refer to both physical fighting and verbal arguments.

Some other ways to translate these words are:

fights and arguments (New Century Version)
-or-
conflicts and disputes (New Revised Standard Version)

Notice the plural forms. This shows that these conflicts were happening frequently. James was not thinking of just one problem.

In some languages, it will be more natural to translate these nouns as verbs. For example:

⌊ you⌋ fight and quarrel ⌊ so often ⌋

The words conflicts and quarrels are a doublet. This means that these two words mean almost the same thing. In some languages, both words can be translated by one word. For example:

Where do your ⌊ frequent ⌋ conflicts come from?

among you: The phrase among you indicates that James was talking about quarrels and disputes among Christian people.

4:1b–c

Don’t they come from the passions at war within you?: This is a rhetorical question. It is a response to the rhetorical question in 4:1a. James used this rhetorical question to emphasize that the fights and quarrels came from people’s evil desires.

Some ways to translate this emphasis are:

• As a rhetorical question. For example:

Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you? (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
They come from your(plur) desires that battle within you, right?

• As a statement. For example:

They come from the selfish desires that war within you. (New Century Version)

Translate this emphasis in a way that is natural in your language.

James was not informing his readers of something they did not know. He was reminding them of something they already knew.

4:1b

they: The pronoun they refers to the “fights and quarrels” in 4:1a.

come from: Use a verb that corresponds with the verb in 4:1a. For example, if you used the verb “come from” in 4:1a, you can use come from here. If you used the verb “causes” in 4:1a, you may want to use “caused” here. For example:

Aren’t they caused by…? (God’s Word)

the passions: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as passions here refers to wrong, selfish desires. These passions are desires for personal wealth, glory, and pleasure. James was perhaps particularly thinking of the desire of some people to be powerful and popular and to have authority.

Some other ways to translate this word are:

selfish desires (God’s Word)
-or-
desires for pleasure (Good News Translation)

In some languages, it is more natural to translate the phrase the passions with a clause. For example:

you(plur) ⌊ selfishly ⌋ desire to have
-or-
you(plur) really want

4:1c

at war within you: The clause at war within you refers to your desires “which are constantly fighting within you.” (Good News Translation)

This clause is a figure of speech called personification. The word “passions” in 4:1b is the subject of the word war. It is as if the “passions” were people who could fight.

There are at least two ways to translate this personification:

• Keep the figure of speech. For example:

that fight to control you (God’s Word)

• Translate the meaning of the figure. For example:

that are opposed/contrary to what you should want
-or-
that are against your desire to do good

The text does not state against whom or against what the desires of the person are fighting. There are basically three interpretations:

(1) The desires in a person are fighting a war against his conscience or his soul. The struggle is inside him.

(2) The desires in a person are fighting a war against other people as he tries to do what pleases God and not what pleases them.

(3) The different desires in a person are fighting a war with each other inside the person.

English versions do not say whom the desires are fighting. If you must be specific, it is recommended that you follow interpretation (1).

within you: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as within you can also be translated as:

inside you (NET Bible)
-or-
in your(plur) hearts