James 1:18

Of his own will (boulhqei). First aorist passive participle of boulomai. Repeating the metaphor of birth in verse Malachi 15 , but in good sense. God as Father acted deliberately of set purpose. He brought us forth (apekuhsen). First aorist active indicative of apokuew (verse Malachi 15 ), only here of the father (4 Macc. 15:17), not of the mother. Regeneration, not birth of all men, though God is the Father in the sense of creation of all men ( Acts 17:28 ). By the word of truth (logwi alhqeia). Instrumental case logwi. The reference is thus to the gospel message of salvation even without the article ( 2 Corinthians 6:7 ) as here, and certainly with the article ( Colossians 1:5 ; Ephesians 1:13 ; 2 Timothy 2:15 ). The message marked by truth (genitive case alhqeia). That we should be (ei to einai hma). Purpose clause ei to and the infinitive einai with the accusative of general reference hma (as to us). A kind of first-fruits (aparchn tina). "Some first-fruits" (old word from aparcomai), of Christians of that age. See Romans 16:5 .