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18 By his sovereign plan he gave us birth[a] through the message of truth, that we would be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

Living Out the Message

19 Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters![b] Let every person be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger. 20 For human[c] anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness.[d] 21 So put away all filth and evil excess and humbly[e] welcome the message implanted within you, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be sure you live out the message and do not merely listen to it and so deceive yourselves. 23 For if someone merely listens to the message and does not live it out, he is like someone[f] who gazes at his own face[g] in a mirror. 24 For he gazes at himself and then goes out and immediately forgets[h] what sort of person he was. 25 But the one who peers into the perfect law of liberty and fixes his attention there,[i] and does not become a forgetful listener but one who lives it out—he[j] will be blessed in what he does.[k]

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Footnotes

  1. James 1:18 tn Grk “Having willed, he gave us birth.”
  2. James 1:19 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:2.
  3. James 1:20 tn The word translated “human” here is ἀνήρ (anēr), which often means “male” or “man (as opposed to woman).” But it sometimes is used generically to mean “anyone,” “a person” (cf. BDAG 79 s.v. 2), and in this context, contrasted with “God’s righteousness,” the point is “human” anger (not exclusively “male” anger).
  4. James 1:20 sn God’s righteousness could refer to (1) God’s righteous standard, (2) the righteousness God gives, (3) righteousness before God, or (4) God’s eschatological righteousness (see P. H. Davids, James [NIGTC], 93, for discussion).
  5. James 1:21 tn Or “with meekness.”
  6. James 1:23 tn The word for “man” or “individual” is ἀνήρ (anēr), which often means “male” or “man (as opposed to woman).” However, as BDAG 79 s.v. 2 says, here it is “equivalent to τὶς someone, a person.”
  7. James 1:23 tn Grk “the face of his beginning [or origin].”
  8. James 1:24 tn Grk “and he has gone out and immediately has forgotten.”
  9. James 1:25 tn Grk “continues.”
  10. James 1:25 tn Grk “this one.”
  11. James 1:25 tn Grk “in his doing.”

18 He chose to give us birth(A) through the word of truth,(B) that we might be a kind of firstfruits(C) of all he created.

Listening and Doing

19 My dear brothers and sisters,(D) take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak(E) and slow to become angry, 20 because human anger(F) does not produce the righteousness that God desires. 21 Therefore, get rid of(G) all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you,(H) which can save you.

22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.(I) 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom,(J) and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.(K)

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