Hearing, Doing, and Pure Religion
James 1:19-27
Jas.1.19 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Ιστε: VERB,perf,act,ind,2,pl
- αδελφοι: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- μου: PRON,gen,sg,1
- αγαπητοι: ADJ,nom,pl,m
- εστω: VERB,pres,act,imp,3,sg
- δε: CONJ
- πας: ADJ,nom,sg,m
- ανθρωπος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- ταχυς: ADJ,nom,sg,m
- εις: PREP
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- ακουσαι: VERB,aor,act,inf
- βραδυς: ADJ,nom,sg,m
- εις: PREP
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- λαλησαι: VERB,aor,act,inf
- βραδυς: ADJ,nom,sg,m
- εις: PREP
- οργην: NOUN,acc,sg,f
Parallels
- Proverbs 17:27-28 (verbal): Both urge restraint in speech—holding back words is associated with wisdom; close verbal affinity to 'slow to speak.'
- Ecclesiastes 5:2 (verbal): Advises not to be quick with the mouth or hasty in speech before God, echoing 'quick to hear, slow to speak.'
- Ecclesiastes 7:9 (verbal): Warns against being quick in spirit to become angry—directly parallels James' admonition to be 'slow to anger.'
- Proverbs 19:11 (thematic): Presents slowness to anger and overlooking an offense as prudence and honor, reflecting James' counsel about anger control.
- Ephesians 4:29 (thematic): Encourages guarded, edifying speech and implicitly restraining harmful talk—resonates with James' instruction to be slow to speak.
Alternative generated candidates
- Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.
- Know this, my brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.
Jas.1.20 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- οργη: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- γαρ: PART
- ανδρος: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- δικαιοσυνην: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- θεου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- ουκ: PART,neg
- εργαζεται: VERB,pres,mid,ind,3,sg
Parallels
- Eph.4.26-27 (verbal): Uses the language of anger (ὀργή/ὀργίζεσθε) and warns about its destructive effects—'Be angry and do not sin... give no opportunity to the devil,' paralleling James' claim that human anger does not produce God's righteousness.
- Matt.5.22 (thematic): Jesus condemns culpable anger toward a brother ('whoever is angry with his brother...'), linking anger to unrighteousness and judgment, echoing James' negative evaluation of anger vis‑à‑vis God's righteousness.
- Ps.37.8 (thematic): ‘Refrain from anger and forsake wrath; Fret not yourself—it tends only to evil’—a wisdom tradition statement that, like James, connects anger with what undermines righteous behavior.
- Prov.29.11 (thematic): ‘A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control’—proverbial contrast between anger and wisdom/righteous conduct, analogous to James' claim.
- Gal.5.19-21 (thematic): Lists 'fits of anger' among the works of the flesh that are opposed to inheriting God's kingdom, supporting James' view that human anger does not produce God's righteousness.
Alternative generated candidates
- For human anger does not produce the righteousness of God.
- For the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
Jas.1.21 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- διο: CONJ
- αποθεμενοι: VERB,aor,mid,part,nom,pl,m
- πασαν: ADJ,acc,sg,f
- ρυπαριαν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- και: CONJ
- περισσειαν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- κακιας: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- εν: PREP
- πραυτητι: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- δεξασθε: VERB,aor,mid,imp,2,pl
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- εμφυτον: ADJ,acc,sg,m
- λογον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- δυναμενον: VERB,pres,mid,part,acc,sg,m
- σωσαι: VERB,aor,act,inf
- τας: ART,acc,pl,f
- ψυχας: NOUN,acc,pl,f
- υμων: PRON,gen,pl,2
Parallels
- Luke 8:11-15 (verbal): The parable of the sower treats the 'word' as seed implanted in the heart; both texts use agricultural/implant imagery for receptivity to the salvific word.
- 1 Peter 2:1-2 (verbal): Calls for laying aside malice, deceit and hypocrisy and craving the sincere milk of the word—closely parallels James' command to put away moral filth and receive the word with meekness.
- John 5:24 (thematic): Declares that hearing Jesus' word and believing brings eternal life—parallels James' claim that the received/implanted word is able to save souls.
- Hebrews 12:1 (structural): Admonishes believers to 'lay aside every weight and sin'—similar exhortation to 'put away all filthiness and overflow of wickedness' as a prerequisite for faithful endurance/reception of God's word.
- 1 Thessalonians 2:13 (thematic): Commends recipients for accepting the message as God's word which works in believers—resonates with James' depiction of the implanted word as a divine, effective power for salvation.
Alternative generated candidates
- Therefore put away all filthiness and the overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
- Therefore put away all filthiness and the abundant wickedness, and with meekness receive the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
Jas.1.22 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Γινεσθε: VERB,pres,mid/pass,imp,2,pl
- δε: CONJ
- ποιηται: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- λογου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- μη: PART
- ακροαται: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- μονον: ADV
- παραλογιζομενοι: VERB,pres,mid/pass,part,nom,pl,m
- εαυτους: PRON,acc,pl,m
Parallels
- Matthew 7:24-27 (structural): Jesus' parable of the wise and foolish builders contrasts those who hear his words and act on them with those who hear and do not—parallel admonition to be doers, not merely listeners.
- Luke 6:46-49 (verbal): Luke's version of the builder-figure includes the challenge 'Why do you call me Lord... and do not what I say?,' directly confronting mere hearing without obedience.
- Romans 2:13 (verbal): Paul states that it is not hearers of the law but doers who will be justified—closely echoes James' contrast between hearing and doing.
- John 13:17 (quotation): Jesus: 'If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them'—an explicit equation of knowledge/hearing with corresponding action, matching James' ethical imperative.
- 1 John 3:18 (thematic): John urges love 'not in word or talk but in deed and in truth,' reflecting the same insistence that authentic faith/teaching must be demonstrated in action.
Alternative generated candidates
- But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves.
- But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
Jas.1.23 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- οτι: CONJ
- ει: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,sg
- τις: PRON,nom,sg,?
- ακροατης: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- λογου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- εστιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- και: CONJ
- ου: PART,neg
- ποιητης: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- ουτος: PRON,nom,sg,m
- εοικεν: VERB,perf,act,ind,3,sg
- ανδρι: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- κατανοουντι: VERB,pres,act,part,dat,m,sg
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- προσωπον: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- γενεσεως: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
- εν: PREP
- εσοπτρω: NOUN,dat,sg,n
Parallels
- James 1:22 (verbal): Immediate context and parallel phrasing: both verses contrast being a mere hearer with the command to be a doer of the word.
- Matthew 7:24-27 (thematic): Jesus' parable of the wise and foolish builders contrasts hearing and doing—reward for obedience and danger of mere hearing—parallel moral point to James' warning.
- Luke 6:47-49 (thematic): Luke's version of the building parable likewise stresses the necessity of putting Jesus' words into practice, echoing James' emphasis on action following hearing.
- 2 Corinthians 3:18 (verbal): Uses mirror imagery ('beholding as in a mirror') to describe transformation into the image observed—resonant with James' mirror simile about hearing without doing.
- 1 Corinthians 13:12 (verbal): Paul's 'we see in a mirror dimly' simile employs mirror/seeing language that parallels James' mirror metaphor for self-examination and the need for responsive change.
Alternative generated candidates
- For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror:
- For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a person who looks at his face in a mirror;
Jas.1.24 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- κατενοησεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- γαρ: PART
- εαυτον: PRON,acc,sg,masc,reflex
- και: CONJ
- απεληλυθεν: VERB,perf,mid/pass,ind,3,sg
- και: CONJ
- ευθεως: ADV
- επελαθετο: VERB,aor,mid,ind,3,sg
- οποιος: PRON,nom,sg,m
- ην: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,sg
Parallels
- James 1:23 (structural): Immediate context: the mirror simile begins in v.23 ('looks at his natural face in a mirror'), which sets up v.24's comment about forgetting what he was like.
- James 1:25 (structural): Contrasting continuation: v.25 describes the blessed outcome of the one who looks into the perfect law and perseveres—opposite of the forgetful person in v.24.
- Matthew 7:24-27 (thematic): Parallel admonition emphasizing doing, not merely hearing: the wise builder who acts on Jesus' words is contrasted with the foolish one who hears but does not act (similar moral consequence theme).
- Romans 2:21-23 (thematic): Rebuke of hypocrisy: those who instruct others but fail to practice the same commands resemble James' image of hearing the law yet forgetting how one truly is.
- 2 Corinthians 3:18 (verbal): Uses mirror imagery ('beholding as in a mirror') but with opposite result: beholding leads to transformation into the Lord's image, contrasting James' motif of looking and then forgetting.
Alternative generated candidates
- for he looks at himself and goes away and immediately forgets what he was like.
- for he looks at himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what he looked like.
Jas.1.25 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- δε: CONJ
- παρακυψας: VERB,aor,act,part,nom,sg,m
- εις: PREP
- νομον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- τελειον: ADJ,nom,sg,n
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- ελευθεριας: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- και: CONJ
- παραμεινας: VERB,aor,act,ptc,nom,sg,m
- ουκ: PART,neg
- ακροατης: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- επιλησμονης: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- γενομενος: VERB,aor,mid,ptc,nom,sg,m
- αλλα: CONJ
- ποιητης: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- εργου: NOUN,gen,sg,n
- ουτος: PRON,nom,sg,m
- μακαριος: ADJ,nom,sg,m
- εν: PREP
- τη: ART,dat,sg,f
- ποιησει: VERB,fut,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
- εσται: VERB,fut,mid,ind,3,sg
Parallels
- Matthew 7:24-27 (verbal): Jesus contrasts mere hearers with those who act (the wise man who hears and does), paralleling James’ blessing on the doer of the law rather than a forgetful hearer.
- Luke 11:28 (verbal): Jesus pronounces a blessing on those who 'hear the word of God and keep it,' closely reflecting James’ emphasis on hearing plus obedience as the basis of blessing.
- Romans 2:13 (verbal): Paul states that 'it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous, but the doers,' echoing James’ contrast between mere hearing and active practice of the law.
- John 13:17 (thematic): Jesus’ promise of blessing for those who know his teachings and put them into practice resonates with James’ theme that true blessing comes to those who do the word, not merely hear it.
Alternative generated candidates
- But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and continues in it—being not a hearer who forgets but a doer who acts—this one will be blessed in his doing.
- But the one who looks intently into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it—being not a forgetful hearer but a doer—this one will be blessed in his doing.
Jas.1.26 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Ει: PART
- τις: PRON,nom,sg,?
- δοκει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- θρησκος: ADJ,nom,sg,m
- ειναι: VERB,pres,act,inf
- μη: PART
- χαλιναγωγων: VERB,pres,act,part,nom,m,sg
- γλωσσαν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
- αλλα: CONJ
- απατων: VERB,pres,act,part,nom,m,sg
- καρδιαν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
- τουτου: DEM,gen,sg,m
- ματαιος: ADJ,nom,sg,m
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- θρησκεια: NOUN,nom,sg,f
Parallels
- James 1:27 (structural): Immediately contrasts mere profession with 'pure and undefiled religion'—true religion is practical care and moral purity, underscoring that uncontrolled speech reveals worthless religion.
- James 3:2-12 (verbal): Extended teaching on the tongue's danger and the need to bridle speech; directly develops the same concern that uncontrolled words betray the heart and corrupt religion.
- Matthew 12:34-37 (thematic): Links heart and speech ('out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks') and warns of judgment for words, echoing James's point that uncontrolled tongue reveals a deceived heart and null religion.
- Matthew 15:7-9 (quotation): Jesus cites Isaiah about honoring God with lips while the heart is far away—parallels James's critique of professed piety that is inwardly deceitful and therefore vain.
- Proverbs 21:23 (verbal): Wise proverb urging restraint of mouth and tongue to avoid trouble; reflects the longstanding ethical conviction behind James's claim that uncontrolled speech renders religion worthless.
Alternative generated candidates
- If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, his religion is worthless.
- If anyone thinks himself religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, his religion is worthless.
Jas.1.27 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- θρησκεια: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- καθαρα: ADJ,nom,pl,neut
- και: CONJ
- αμιαντος: ADJ,nom,sg,f
- παρα: PREP
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- θεω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- πατρι: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- αυτη: PRON,dat,sg,f
- εστιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- επισκεπτεσθαι: VERB,pres,mid/pass,inf
- ορφανους: NOUN,acc,pl,m
- και: CONJ
- χηρας: NOUN,acc,pl,f
- εν: PREP
- τη: ART,dat,sg,f
- θλιψει: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- αυτων: PRON,gen,pl,m
- ασπιλον: ADJ,acc,sg,f
- εαυτον: PRON,acc,sg,masc,reflex
- τηρειν: VERB,pres,act,inf
- απο: PREP
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- κοσμου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
Parallels
- Isaiah 1:17 (verbal): Calls Israel to 'learn to do good; seek justice; defend the oppressed, plead for the widow, maintain the fatherless'—language and concern for orphans/widows closely mirror James' description of true religion.
- Deuteronomy 10:18 (thematic): Attributes to God the care of 'the fatherless and the widow' and commands justice for them, providing an Old Testament background for James' ethical demand.
- 1 Timothy 5:3-8 (structural): Gives pastoral instruction on honoring and providing for widows (including criteria and community responsibility), paralleling James' emphasis on concrete care for vulnerable members.
- Matthew 25:35-40 (thematic): Portrays care for the needy as service to Christ himself—evaluates true religion by practical compassion toward those in need, echoing James' linkage of faith/religion with care for the afflicted.
- 1 John 2:15-17 (thematic): Warns against loving the world and its desires, resonating with James' injunction to keep oneself 'unstained from the world' as part of undefiled religion.
Alternative generated candidates
- Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.
- Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.
Understand this, my brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.
For human anger does not produce the righteousness of God.
Therefore put away all filthiness and every excess of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror;
for he looks at himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and continues in it—not a forgetful hearer but an active doer—this one will be blessed in what he does.
If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, his religion is worthless.
Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unstained by the world.