1:1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings.
1:2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,
1:3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.
1:4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
1:6 But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
1:7 That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord;
1:8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.
1:9 The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position.
1:10 But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower.
1:11 For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business.
1:12 Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
1:13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone;
1:14 but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.
1:15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
1:16 Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers.
1:17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
1:18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.
1:19 My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,
1:20 for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.
1:21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
1:22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
1:23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror
1:24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.
1:25 But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it–he will be blessed in what he does.
1:26 If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.
1:27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
1:1 James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes in the dispersion: Rejoice!
1:2 Count it all joy, my brothers, whenever you fall into various trials,
1:3 Knowing that the proving of your faith works out endurance.
1:4 And let endurance have its perfect work that you may be perfect and entire, lacking in nothing.
1:5 But if any one of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and does not reproach, and it will be given to him.
1:6 But let him ask in faith, doubting nothing, for he who doubts is like the surge of the sea, driven by the wind and tossed about.
1:7 For that man must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;
1:8 He is a double-souled man, unstable in all his ways.
1:9 And let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation,
1:10 And the rich in his being brought low, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away.
1:11 For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass, and its flower falls off, and the beauty of its appearance is destroyed; so also the rich man will fade away in his pursuits.
1:12 Blessed is the man who endures trial, because when he has become approved by testing, he will receive the crown of life, which He promised to those who love Him.
1:13 Let no one say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God; for God cannot be tempted of evil, and He Himself tempts no one.
1:14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own lusts;
1:15 Then the lust, having conceived, gives birth to sin; and the sin, when it is fully grown, brings forth death.
1:16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers.
1:17 All good giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variation or shadow cast by turning.
1:18 He brought us forth by the word of truth, purposing that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.
1:19 You know this, my beloved brothers; but let every man be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath;
1:20 For the wrath of man does not accomplish the righteousness of God.
1:21 Therefore putting away all filthiness and the abundance of malice, receive in meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
1:22 And become doers of the word and not hearers only, who delude themselves.
1:23 Because if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, this one is like a man considering in a mirror the face he was born with;
1:24 For he considers himself and goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of person he is.
1:25 But he who looks into the perfect law, the law of freedom, and continues in it, becoming not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in his doing.
1:26 If anyone thinks himself to be religious and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this one s religion is vain.
1:27 This is pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.