James 1
Greeting
1 James, a servantt of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion:
Greetings.
Testing of Your Faith
2 Count it all joy, my brothers,t when you meet trials of various kinds,3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
9 Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation,10 and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grasst he will pass away.11 For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.
12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.13 Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God," for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.
16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers.17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.t18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
Hearing and Doing the Word
19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror.24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
26 If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless.27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.
James 1
Salutation
1 From James,t a slavets of God and the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes dispersed abroad.t Greetings!
Joy in Trials
2 My brothers and sisters,t consider it nothing but joyt when you fall into all sorts of trials,3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance.4 And let endurance have its perfect effect, so that you will be perfect and complete, not deficient in anything.5 But if anyone is deficient in wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without reprimand, and it will be given to him.6 But he must ask in faith without doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed around by the wind.7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord,
8 since he is a double-minded individual,ts unstable in all his ways.
9 Now the believert of humble meanst should take pridet in his high position.t10 But the rich person’s pride should be in his humiliation, because he will pass away like a wildflower in the meadow.t11 For the sun rises with its heat and dries up the meadow; the petal of the flower falls off and its beauty is lost forever.t So also the rich person in the midst of his pursuits will wither away.12 Happy is the onet who endures testing, because when he has proven to be genuine, he will receive the crown of life that Gods promised to those who love him.13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted by evil,t and he himself tempts no one.14 But each one is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desires.15 Then when desire conceives, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is full grown, it gives birth to death.16 Do not be led astray, my dear brothers and sisters.t17 All generous giving and every perfect giftt is from above, coming downt from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or the slightest hint of change.t
18 By his sovereign plan he gave us birtht 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!t Let every person be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger.20 For humant anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness.s21 So put away all filth and evil excess and humblyt 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 someonet who gazes at his own facet in a mirror.24 For he gazes at himself and then goes out and immediately forgetst what sort of person he was.25 But the one who peers into the perfect law of liberty and fixes his attention there,t and does not become a forgetful listener but one who lives it out – het will be blessed in what he does.t26 If someone thinks he is religious yet does not bridle his tongue, and so deceives his heart, his religion is futile.
27 Pure and undefiled religion beforet God the Fathert is this: to care for orphans and widows in their misfortune and to keep oneself unstained by the world.
