The Greek and Ge’ez that is typically translated as “tempt” or “temptation” in English is translated in Noongar as djona-karra or “reveal conduct” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang) and in Tibetan as nyams sad (ཉམས་སད།), lit. “soul + test,” or in some cases as slu (སླུ།) or “lure / lead astray” (for instance in 1 Cor. 7:5 or Gal 6:1) (source: gSungrab website )
In Cherokee as “examined.” “‘Temptation’ is also translated using a traditional verb which means ‘to examine medically’ or ‘to interpret,’ as when divining or consulting a crystal. It expresses the idea that the tempted person is being ‘tested’ or examined.'” (Source: Bender / Belt 2025, p. 47)
The Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek that is typically translated in English as “joy” or “happiness” is translated in the HausaCommon Language Bible idiomatically as farin ciki or “white stomach.” In some cases, such as in Genesis 29:11, it is also added for emphatic purposes.
Other languages that use the same expression include Southern Birifor (pʋpɛl), Dera (popolok awo), Reshe (ɾipo ɾipuhã). (Source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)
The Greek that is translated in English as “brother” or “brother and sister” (in the sense of fellow believers), is translated with a specifically coined word in Kachin: “There are two terms for brother in Kachin. One is used to refer to a Christian brother. This term combines ‘older and younger brother.’ The other term is used specifically for addressing siblings. When one uses this term, one must specify if the older or younger person is involved. A parallel system exists for ‘sister’ as well. In [these verses], the term for ‘a Christian brother’ is used.” (Source: Gam Seng Shae)
In Matumbi is is translated as alongo aumini or “relative-believer.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific notes in Paratext)
In Martu Wangka it is translated as “relative” (this is also the term that is used for “follower.”) (Source: Carl Gross)
In the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) it is often translated as Mitchristen or “fellow Christians.”
Following are a number of back-translations of James 1:2:
Uma: “All my relatives! If there are many kinds of difficulties and temptations that hit us, let’s not let-it-hurt our hearts [i.e., be upset, angry or sad], rather we should just be-glad-about-it.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “My brothers, when all kinds of troubles/sorrows arrive/come to you you should be glad/joyful.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Brothers, be joyful when you have to experience tribulation because of the fact that God has permitted that there be various kinds of testing of your faith in him.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “My siblings/cousins (brothers from now on), if/when you experience various-kinds of difficulties, may your joy be extreme nevertheless,” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “My siblings in believing, hopefully you will indeed be unfluctuatingly happy when you are being reached by very many hardships, for this is a testing of your believing/obeying and trusting-in/relying-on God.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “Listen, my dear brethren, rejoice when you suffer different kinds of suffering.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Three things can be said about the expression my brethren:
(1) This expression is used fourteen times in the letter and often signifies a transition to a new subject matter (for example, 1.16, 19; 2.1, 5, 14; 3.1; 4.11; 5.7, 12, 19).
(2) This affectionate address sets a pastoral tone for various exhortations of the letter. The Jewish people in the Old Testament used the word brethren to describe not only members of their own family but also their fellow Israelites. In New Testament times it is often used to refer to fellow Christians in the community. They are fellow members of the family that acknowledges God as the Father. Clearly, when James addresses his readers as my brethren, his feeling toward them is that of warmth and love.
(3) The use of the plural form brethren is general; it does not mean to exclude “sisters” who are also of the Christian community. It is therefore possible, indeed desirable, to render it as “my brothers and sisters,” as the New Revised Standard Version (New Revised Standard Version) has done.
In certain languages a literal translation of the term brethren will refer to actual siblings. In this case translators will need to avoid such terms and simply render it as “my friends,” as in the case of Revised English Bible and Good News Translation; or we may say “my fellow believers [or, Christians],” or even idiomatically “my elders and youngers.”
The word joy in Count it all joy is related in meaning to the word rendered “Greeting” in verse 1. The similarity in sound between the two words in Greek seems to suggest that a play on words is intended. The meaning of Count is “to reckon as,” “to deem as,” or “to regard as.” Most modern translations render it as “consider” (so Good News Translation, New International Version [New International Version], New Jerusalem Bible [New Jerusalem Bible], New Revised Standard Version). The force of the word all modifying joy is sometimes understood in terms of completeness, meaning that the joy should be pure and unmixed; for example, “nothing but joy” (Barclay’s translation [Barclay], New Revised Standard Version), “pure joy” (Moffat [Moffatt], New International Version). Others take it to mean the intensity and quality of joy; for example, “greatest joy” (Goodspeed’s American Translation [Goodspeed]), “great joy” (New Jerusalem Bible), “supremely happy” (New English Bible/Revised English Bible).
A literal translation of the clause Count it all joy presents difficulties for translators in many languages. In such languages a more natural translation will be “You should rejoice greatly when…,” or more idiomatically “Your hearts [or, stomachs] should feel very warm when…,” “Your hearts should dance when…,” or “Your innermost being should ring when….” In languages where it will be unnatural to talk about being “joyful” when encountering trials, it will be helpful to translate in a similar way to Good News Translation, “consider yourselves fortunate,” and say “You must understand that it is beneficial for you when…,” “… it is a great advantage for you when…,” or even “You must feel great satisfaction when….”
It is significant that the readers are commanded to have a sense of happiness and joy, or even “satisfaction,” in the face of trials. Trials are something that Christians meet or “face” (New English Bible, New International Version, New Revised Standard Version), things that “come your way” (Good News Translation) or “come upon you” (so the King James Version [King James Version]), referring basically to inward impulses and experiences that may entice a person to sin. This is obviously the sense intended in verse 13. The word, however, also means “testing,” referring to outward troubles and difficulties. The corresponding verb is used of a young bird “testing” its wings, of “testing” drugs to see if they could cure diseases, of God “testing” Abraham to offer his son as sacrifice (Gen 22.1), of the Queen of Sheba “testing” the wisdom of Solomon (1 Kgs 10.1), and so on. In biblical usage the “testing” often leads to a good end. It is to cause the person being tested to emerge stronger and better, in loyalty and in faith. Most probably the second meaning, namely outward troubles, is the intended sense in the present context. While not ruling out the possibility of sufferings and persecution, the context appears to indicate that the word trials here probably means nothing more than daily troubles of some sort. So this final sentence may also be expressed as “When you pass through [or, endure] all kinds of troubles [or, difficulties].”
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 .
James encouraged believers to continue to trust God during times of testing
The theme of this section is that it is important for Christians to continue to trust God when going through various kinds of trials or difficulties. These trials are a test of their faith (1:2–4). They need God’s wisdom in order to remain faithful to him, and so they should pray for wisdom (1:5). When they come to God in prayer, they should have an attitude of firm trust in him (1:6–8). Both poverty and wealth test a Christian. They should trust God whether rich or poor and learn to think about poverty and wealth as God does (1:9–11).
Some other possible headings for this section are:
Have faith and wisdom
-or-
When you have trials/tests, you must trust God
-or-
Be joyful when your faith is tested
Paragraph 1:2–4
James taught that Christians should rejoice when persons or situations test their faith. When such tests occur, Christians learn how to persevere, and they become more mature in their faith.
1:2a
Consider it pure joy, my brothers: Here in Greek, James switched from speaking about his readers in the third person to addressing them directly. Make sure it is clear to your readers that the expression my brothers refers to the same people as “the twelve tribes” in 1:1b.
Consider it pure joy: The Greek clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Consider it pure joy is literally “Consider it all joy” (as in the New American Standard Bible). This means “Regard trials as something to rejoice about” or “Think of trials as occasions for joy.” This refers to joy with no sadness mixed with it at all. James wanted his readers to think about their trials as positive events that God allowed for their good.
Some other ways to translate this clause are:
be very happy (God’s Word)
-or-
be glad (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
let it be an opportunity for joy (New Living Translation, 1996 edition)
my brothers: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as brothers is the term commonly used in the New Testament to refer to other believers in Jesus. This term emphasizes that all believers belonged to God’s family. James used this term to identify with his audience and to show his closeness with all believers. You may have a different term of address in your language which establishes a feeling of closeness with your audience. If so, consider using it here.
Although James used a masculine form, he was not intending to exclude women. In your translation, you should use a word or phrase that does not exclude women.
Some other ways to translate this are:
my fellow believers
-or-
My brothers and sisters (NET Bible)
-or-
my relatives/siblings in Christ
-or-
my Christian friends
James tended to use a term of address (like my brothers) when he was introducing a new topic. Here he introduced the topic of trials. You may have another natural way in your language to introduce a new topic. If you do, you could use it here.
Notice that the Berean Standard Bible places the phrase my brothers in the middle of 1:2. This follows the Greek text. If it is more natural in your language to place it at the beginning or end of the sentence or verse, consider doing that here. For example:
My brothers and sisters, be very happy… (God’s Word)
1:2b
when you encounter trials of many kinds: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as encounter means “experience.” Some other ways to translate this clause are:
whenever you face trials of many kinds (New International Version (2011 Revision))
-or-
when you encounter various trials (New American Standard Bible)
-or-
when all kinds of trials come your way (Good News Translation)
trials of many kinds: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as trials of many kinds refers to various types of difficult situations that occur in a person’s life and test his faith. These can include both external problems like persecution and internal temptations from Satan. The Greek term for trials includes the meanings of both testing and temptation.
Some ways to translate this clause are:
when you(plur) experience all kinds of problems that test your faith
-or-
when you are tested in different ways (God’s Word)
-or-
when you have many kinds of troubles (New Century Version)
General Comment on 1:2a–b
In some languages, it may be more natural to change the order of the clauses in 1:2. For example:
2aMy brothers and sisters, 2bwhen you have many kinds of troubles, 2ayou should be full of joy. (New Century Version)
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.
Living Water is produced for the Bible translation movement in association with Lutheran Bible Translators. Lyrics derived from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®).
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.