James now picks up the negative image of the person who is a hearer but not a doer, to illustrate what he is like by comparing him with someone who looks at himself in a mirror. It may be observed that James’ imagery of people looking in a mirror and forgetting what they look like is similar to the parable of the two builders at the conclusion of the Sermon on the Mount (Matt 7.24-27). Both emphasize the importance of putting the gospel message into action.

James begins the explanation with the conjunction For or “Because,” giving the reason for the injunction not to be mere hearers. In some languages the conjunction is not required, because without it the readers nevertheless understand that the author is making an explanation of what has been said in the previous verse. In other languages, however, it may be necessary to keep it in order to show the explanatory sequence. In many languages it will be better, indeed more vivid, to render the words hearer and doer with verbal forms; for example, “Anyone who listens to the message but does not act on it” (Revised English Bible), “If you listen to the word but do not put it into practice” (Good News Translation), or “If you hear the message and don’t obey it” (Contemporary English Version).

The person who remains only a hearer is compared to a man who observes his natural face in a mirror and does nothing about it. The word man here is best understood as a general reference, not to a male only. For this reason a number of adjustments have been made. Revised English Bible renders it as “somebody,” but picks up the pronoun “he” again in verse 24. New Revised Standard Version has made the subject plural throughout: “For if any are hearers…, they are like….” In most languages it will be helpful to avoid using man in both instances and say, for example, “For whoever [or, anyone] who … is like a person….” In some languages it will be good style to use the pronoun “you” and say “If you listen to the message but don’t obey it, you….”

The meaning of the word observes is debated. The verb, literally “to put the mind down upon,” means “to consider attentively” and is often used in the general sense of “to take note of,” “to look at,” and “to observe.” Some scholars, who want to find a contrast between this word and a related verb “to look into” or “to peer into” in verse 25, have tried to water down the meaning of this word by giving it the sense of “to give a cursory or fleeting glance.” This interpretation, however, is not in accord with its basic meaning. In its New Testament usage the verb in fact means attentive observation and consideration (Luke 12.27, “consider”; Acts 7.31, 32, “to look”). It is therefore best to adopt the most general and natural meaning appropriate to the context, such as “look,” as most translations have done.

The words his natural face represent five words in Greek, literally “the face of his birth” (so New Revised Standard Version margin) or “the face of his existence.” If we prefer the former, it should not be understood as referring to “the innocent face of a newborn baby” but as “the face that nature gave him” (Barclay, Revised English Bible) or “the face he was born with” (Knox). If the expression is taken to refer to “his existence,” then the meaning will be something like “he looks at his natural appearance” (Dibelius), “who … see themselves as they are” (Good News Translation), or simply “he looks at himself.” Some scholars understand this expression as a vague reference to the fact that a human being is made in the image of God, and so to see yourself in a mirror is to see if you reflect or represent what God wants you to be. This, however, would be reading too much into the text.

The first interpretation is recommended by this Handbook, namely, “the face he was born with.” However, in a number of languages even this expression will sound unnatural. In such cases we may simply say “look at his face in a mirror,” it being understood that this is his normal face. Or we may say “look at yourself in the mirror.” Translators should find the most natural expression here for looking at yourself in a mirror.

The mirror in olden times was not made of “glass” (King James Version) but of polished metal, generally copper or bronze (see Exo 38.8), and usually gave a less clear reflection than modern mirrors.

Possible alternative translation models for this verse are:
• For whoever listens to the message but does not obey what it says, is like a person who looks at his face in a mirror.
• If you hear the message and don’t obey it, you are like a person who looks at himself in a mirror.

Quoted with permission from Loh, I-Jin and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on The Letter from James. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .