James 1
1 James, servant of God and of our Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes of the dispersion, greetings.
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes of the Dispersion: Greetings.
2 My brothers, when you have fallen into various trials, consider everything a joy,
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds,
3 knowing that the proving of your faith exercises patience,
because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.
4 and patience brings a work to perfection, so that you may be perfect and whole, deficient in nothing.
Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
5 But if anyone among you is in need of wisdom, let him petition God, who gives abundantly to all without reproach, and it shall be given to him.
Now 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.
6 But he should ask with faith, doubting nothing. For he who doubts is like a wave on the ocean, which is moved about by the wind and carried away;
But he must ask in faith, without doubting, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
7 then a man should not consider that he would receive anything from the Lord.
That man should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.
8 For a man who is of two minds is inconstant in all his ways.
He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
9 Now a humble brother should glory in his exaltation,
The brother in humble circumstances should exult in his high position.
10 and a rich one, in his humiliation, for he will pass away like the flower of the grass.
But the one who is rich should exult in his low position, because he will pass away like a flower of the field.
11 For the sun has risen with a scorching heat, and has dried the grass, and its flower has fallen off, and the appearance of its beauty has perished. So also will the rich one wither away, according to his paths.
For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its flower falls and its beauty is lost. So too, the rich man will fade away in the midst of his pursuits.
12 Blessed is the man who suffers temptation. For when he has been proven, he shall receive the crown of life which God has promised to those who love him.
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.
13 No one should say, when he is tempted, that he was tempted by God. For God does not entice toward evils, and he himself tempts no one.
When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone.
14 Yet truly, each one is tempted by his own desires, having been enticed and drawn away.
But each one is tempted when by his own evil desires he is lured away and enticed.
15 Thereafter, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin. Yet truly sin, when it has been consummated, produces death.
Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
16 And so, do not choose to go astray, my most beloved brothers.
Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers.
17 Every excellent gift and every perfect gift is from above, descending from the Father of lights, with whom there is no change, nor any shadow of alteration.
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, with whom there is no change or shifting shadow.
18 For by his own will he produced us through the Word of truth, so that we might be a kind of beginning among his creatures.
He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we would be a kind of firstfruits of His creation.
19 You know this, my most beloved brothers. So let every man be quick to listen, but slow to speak and slow to anger.
My beloved brothers, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger,
20 For the anger of man does not accomplish the justice of God.
for man’s anger does not bring about the righteousness that God desires.
21 Because of this, having cast away all uncleanness and an abundance of malice, receive with meekness the newly-grafted Word, which is able to save your souls.
Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and every expression of evil, and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save your souls.
22 So be doers of the Word, and not listeners only, deceiving yourselves.
Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves.
23 For if anyone is a listener of the Word, but not also a doer, he is comparable to a man gazing into a mirror upon the face that he was born with;
For anyone who hears the word but does not carry it out is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror,
24 and after considering himself, he went away and promptly forgot what he had seen.
and after observing himself goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.
25 But he who gazes upon the perfect law of liberty, and who remains in it, is not a forgetful hearer, but instead a doer of the work. He shall be blessed in what he does.
But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom, and continues to do so—not being a forgetful hearer, but an effective doer—he will be blessed in what he does.
26 But if anyone considers himself to be religious, but he does not restrain his tongue, but instead seduces his own heart: such a one’s religion is vanity.
If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not bridle his tongue, he deceives his heart and his religion is worthless.
27 This is religion, clean and undefiled before God the Father: to visit orphans and widows in their tribulations, and to keep yourself immaculate, apart from this age.
Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
