peace (inner peace)

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The Hebrew and Greek that is translated into English as “peace” (or “at ease”) is (back-) translated with a variety of idioms and phrases:

In American Sign Language it is signed with a compound sign consisting of “become” and “silent.” (Source: Yates 2011, p. 52)


“Peace” in American Sign Language (source )

See also peace (absence of strife) and this devotion on YouVersion .

complete verse (James 3:18)

Following are a number of back-translations of James 3:18:

  • Uma: “People who like harmony and seek harmony, their behavior follows God’s will.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Whoever is a person who reconciles/causes-to-be-good his companions he is figuratively like a farmer/person-habitually-planting. What he figuratively plants is his deeds that please his fellow-men. He does not quarrel and his conduct towards his companions is good. The outcome/result of that what he planted is straight/righteous deeds.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Peace is like a seed. Those who settle conflicts plant it, and righteous activities are the harvest it brings.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Those who get-along-together while at-the-same-time they stop-from-quarrelling their fellows who are quarrelling, it’s as if they plant peace and orderliness, and when that-aforementioned which they have planted grows, its fruit is a righteous way-of-life.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “And as for those who can make a way which can cause reconciliation, when they persevere for the good being-friends of their fellowman, righteousness is the result of it.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “He earnestly tries to make peace with those who want to argue with him, then they can live good lives afterwards.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Rincón Zapotec “And those who endeavor to set in quietness the things that happen, they live peaceably in order that all of them may be righteous.”
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “If we make peace among our companions, then we will be at peace and will continually do good.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “And when we considerately reconcile our fellow men, it is as if we sowed seed that multiplies well more deeds that are good.” (Source for this and two above: Ellis Deibler in Notes on Translation July, 1967, p. 5ff.)

righteous, righteousness

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The Greek, Hebrew, and Latin terms that are translated in English mostly as “righteous” as an adjective or personified noun or “righteousness” (also as “justice”) are most commonly expressed with concept of “straightness,” though this may be expressed in a number of ways. (Click or tap here to see the details)

Following is a list of (back-) translations of various languages:

  • Bambara, Southern Bobo Madaré, Chokwe (ululi), Amganad Ifugao, Chol, Eastern Maninkakan, Toraja-Sa’dan, Pamona, Batak Toba, Bilua, Tiv: “be straight”
  • Laka: “follow the straight way” or “to straight-straight” (a reduplicated form for emphasis)
  • Highland Puebla Nahuatl, Kekchí, Muna: “have a straight heart”
  • Kipsigis: “do the truth”
  • Mezquital Otomi: “do according to the truth”
  • Huautla Mazatec: “have truth”
  • Yine: “fulfill what one should do”
  • Indonesian: “be true”
  • Navajo: “do just so”
  • Anuak: “do as it should be”
  • Mossi: “have a white stomach” (see also happiness / joy)
  • Paasaal: “white heart” (source: Fabian N. Dapila in The Bible Translator 2024, p. 415ff.)
  • Nuer: “way of right” (“there is a complex concept of “right” vs. ‘left’ in Nuer where ‘right’ indicates that which is masculine, strong, good, and moral, and ‘left’ denotes what is feminine, weak, and sinful (a strictly masculine viewpoint!) The ‘way of right’ is therefore righteousness, but of course women may also attain this way, for the opposition is more classificatory than descriptive.”) (This and all above from Bratcher / Nida except for Bilua: Carl Gross; Tiv: Rob Koops; Muna: René van den Berg)
  • Central Subanen: “wise-good” (source: Robert Brichoux in OPTAT 1988/2, p. 80ff. )
  • Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac: “live well”
  • Mezquital Otomi: “goodness before the face of God” (source for this and one above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
  • Eastern Huasteca Nahuatl: “the result of heart-straightening” (source: Nida 1947, p. 224)
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “entirely good” (when referred to God), “do good” or “not be a debtor as God sees one” (when referred to people)
  • Carib: “level”
  • Tzotzil: “straight-hearted”
  • Ojitlán Chinantec: “right and straight”
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “walk straight” (source for this and four previous: John Beekman in Notes on Translation November 1964, p. 1-22)
  • Aari: The Pauline word for “righteous” is generally rendered by “makes one without sin” in the Aari, sometimes “before God” is added for clarity. (Source: Loren Bliese)
  • North Alaskan Inupiatun: “having sin taken away” (Source: Nida 1952, p. 144)
  • Nyamwezi: wa lole: “just” or “someone who follows the law of God” (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
  • Venda: “nothing wrong, OK” (Source: J.A. van Roy in The Bible Translator 1972, p. 418ff. )
  • Ekari: maakodo bokouto or “enormous truth” (the same word that is also used for “truth“; bokouto — “enormous” — is being used as an attribute for abstract nouns to denote that they are of God [see also here]; source: Marion Doble in The Bible Translator 1963, p. 37ff. ).
  • Guhu-Samane: pobi or “right” (also: “right (side),” “(legal) right,” “straightness,” “correction,” “south,” “possession,” “pertinence,” “kingdom,” “fame,” “information,” or “speech” — “According to [Guhu-Samane] thinking there is a common core of meaning among all these glosses. Even from an English point of view the first five can be seen to be closely related, simply because of their similarity in English. However, from that point the nuances of meaning are not so apparent. They relate in some such a fashion as this: As one faces the morning sun, south lies to the right hand (as north lies to the left); then at one’s right hand are his possessions and whatever pertains to him; thus, a rich man’s many possessions and scope of power and influence is his kingdom; so, the rich and other important people encounter fame; and all of this spreads as information and forms most of the framework of the people’s speech.”) (Source: Ernest Richert in Notes on Translation 1964, p. 11ff.)

See also respectable, righteous, righteous (person), and She is more in the right(eous) than I.

Translation commentary on James 3:18

The harvest of righteousness is sown in peace: James finishes the chapter by reemphasizing the importance of peace. Apparently he is very much concerned about discord and rivalry in the Christian community created by those who do not have the wisdom from above. And so, in concluding the discussion of true wisdom, he wants to deal with the chaotic and quarrelsome situation by emphasizing the need for peace and harmony. Some scholars feel that this verse fits awkwardly in the present position, and that it could very well be an independent proverbial saying quoted to sum up the heavenly qualities. Be that as it may, it still serves well as an emphatic conclusion of the section.

This verse presents a number of problems in interpretation as well as in translation. The first problem is the expression the harvest of righteousness, literally “the fruit of righteousness.” This is a familiar expression in the Septuagint (Isa 32.16-18; Pro 11.30; Amos 6.12) and the New Testament (Phil 1.11; compare also 2 Cor 9.10). How should we understand the construction “A of B” here? It may be taken in two different ways.
(1) It is possible to take it as a subjective genitive or genitive of origin, namely “B is the source of A.” In this case it means “the fruit that grows out of righteousness,” or “the fruit that righteousness produces,” indicating that righteousness is the seed that bears the fruit. This understanding is reflected in a translation like “the harvest uprightness yields” (Goodspeed).
(2) It is also possible to take the expression as a genitive of definition, namely “A consists of B.” In this case the meaning is “the fruit that is, or consists of, righteousness.” This understanding, favored by most commentators and translators, appears to fit the context better and is recommended by this Handbook.

The second problem has to do with the meaning of the words harvest and righteousness. Strictly speaking what is sown is seed, not fruit or harvest; the harvest is what is gathered later. The same expression used in Pro 11.30 (Septuagint) also has this problem: “the fruit of righteousness grows the tree of life.” Here we would expect that the correct word to use would be “seed.” The word “fruit” then should be taken to mean “fruit seed” and is so understood by a number of translations; for example, “the seed whose fruit is righteousness” (New American Standard Bible; so also Japanese Franciscan Translation), “the seed-bed of righteousness” (Revised English Bible). If we want to keep the word “fruit” or harvest, we may have to use the verb “to produce” with it; for example, “goodness is the harvest that is produced from the seeds…” (Good News Translation).

The meaning of righteousness has been taken in various ways. It is sometimes understood to mean a right relationship with God, especially by those scholars who understand the “fruit of righteousness” as a subjective genitive, meaning that righteousness is the seed that bears the fruit. The reason is that to bear the right kind of fruit a person has to have the right relationship with God. It is, however, a bit awkward to say that a right relationship with God is sown in peace. Two possibilities remain. One is to take the word to mean, as in 1.20, the Christian character and conduct that is acceptable and pleasing to God. This is a rendering suitable to the context, and the word can be referring to the good qualities mentioned in verse 17. If so it may be rendered “goodness” (Good News Translation, Barclay) or “uprightness” (Goodspeed). The second possibility that commends itself in this context is to take righteousness as a term that has to do with interpersonal relationship, namely “justice.” In the Bible the word righteousness is often used side by side with the word peace (Psa 72.7; 85.10; Isa 32.17; Heb 12.11). This indicates two things. First, the two words are closely related in meaning; in fact they may even be considered the same in some contexts. For this reason some scholars propose that the “fruit of righteousness” is “peace.” Secondly, the two words are both relational terms. In this context peace means harmony and unity within the Christian community; and in this case righteousness is best taken as integrity and fairness, or as using those right and correct principles in dealing with other members of the community which make peace and harmony possible. Therefore the most suitable rendering appears to be “justice” in this context (so New English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, Contemporary English Version).

The next problem has to do with the expression in peace. Is it to be taken with righteousness or with the verb is sown? In Greek in peace follows right after righteousness, and so, it has been argued, it should be taken with the previous expression “the fruit of righteousness,” with the resultant rendering “the fruit of righteousness in peace” or “the fruit of righteousness that consists of peace.” The meaning of the first rendering is uncertain, and the Greek words would have to be forced to produce the second rendering. Most scholars and translators therefore take in peace with the verb is sown. The expression in peace may be understood in various ways; for example, “for peaceful purposes,” describing the purpose of sowing; “with peaceful means,” emphasizing the means; “in a peaceful atmosphere,” “in the spirit of peace” (New English Bible) or “peaceably” (Translator’s New Testament), showing the manner. The phrase is sown in peace may be rendered actively as “plant seeds of peace” (Contemporary English Version) or “spread peace as if planting seeds.”

By those who make peace: in Greek this phrase is in the dative case. Is it to be taken as a dative of agency rendered as “by those who make peace” (so Good News Translation, New English Bible, La Sainte Bible: Nouvelle version Segond révisée), or a dative of advantage translated as “for those who make peace” (so New American Bible, New Revised Standard Version, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible)? Grammatically it is more natural to take the phrase as a dative of advantage. In this instance the fruit of righteousness is promised as a reward “for those who make peace.” There are a number of examples of the dative of agent in the New Testament, although this construction is often not recognized (compare Matt 6.18; James 3.7, 18). The argument for taking it as dative of agent is made stronger by the fact that the phrase comes right after the passive verb is sown. Another problem with this interpretation is that the expressions sown in peace and by those who make peace sound repetitious. However, we may explain this as a device that the author uses to create a rhetorical effect for emphasis. In spite of some oddities this interpretation appears to fit the context better on the whole. It suggests that the fruit (or, seed) of righteousness is produced (or, sown) by those who make peace. Those who make peace are people who actively promote unity, harmony, and the total well-being of the Christian community.

In interpreting this saying it is not necessary to press for precise equivalence in all the details. We need only to take the total meaning into consideration. While not abandoning other possibilities, the interpretation and therefore the resultant translation that appears to fit the context best is this:
• And harvest [or, seed] of justice is produced [or, sown] in a spirit of peace by those who promote peace.

We can restructure the sentence as:
• Justice is the harvest reaped by peacemakers from seeds sown in a spirit of peace (similarly New English Bible).

We can also restate this in an active form; for example:
• Peacemakers who sow peace in a spirit of peace will harvest justice.

If translators in certain languages cannot use the metaphor of “planting peace,” they may express this verse as:
• When peacemakers bring about peace between people, the result is that justice is done.

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 .