James 1
1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.
This letter comes from James, servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is sent to the twelve tribes scattered abroad. Best wishes to you!
2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
My friends, choose to stay happy even when all kinds of troubles come your way,
3 Knowing [this], that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
because you know that endurance comes from dealing with challenges to your trust in God.
4 But let patience have [her] perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
Let your endurance become as strong as possible, so that you will be completely mature, without any shortcomings.
5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all [men] liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
If any of you need wisdom, ask God, who gives generously to everyone without holding back.
6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
But when you ask, remember to trust in God—don't have any doubts. Someone who doubts is like the crashing waves of the sea, tossed about and driven by the wind.
7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
Nobody like that should think they'll get anything from the Lord—
8 A double minded man [is] unstable in all his ways.
their minds think every which way, and they're unstable in whatever they do.
9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:
Believers who are born poor should take pride in the high position they've been given,
10 But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.
while the rich should “boast” in the humble position they now have, since they will fade away like flowers in the field.
11 For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.
For the sun rises along with the blistering wind and scorches the grass. The flowers fall and their beauty is marred. Everything the rich achieve will fade in just the same way.
12 Blessed [is] the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
Happy is anyone who patiently endures temptation, for when they've proved that they are trustworthy, they will receive the crown of life which God promises to those who love him.
13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
Nobody should say when they're tempted, “I'm being tempted by God.” For God is not tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone.
14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
Temptations come from our own evil desires that lead us astray and entrap us.
15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
Such desires lead to sin, and sin, when it's fully developed, causes death.
16 Do not err, my beloved brethren.
My dear friends, don't be deceived.
17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
All that's good, every perfect gift, is from above, and comes down from the Father who made heaven's lights. Unlike them he doesn't change—he doesn't vary or cause shadows.
18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
He chose to give us new life through the word of truth, so that out of all his creation we would be very special to him.
19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
Remember this, my dear friends: everyone should be quick to listen but slow to speak, and slow to get angry,
20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
because human anger doesn't reflect the good character of God.
21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
So get rid of all that's filthy and evil. Humbly accept the word that's been implanted within you—for this is what can save you.
22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
But do what the word says—don't just listen to it and delude yourselves.
23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
If you just listen to the word, and don't act on it, it's like staring at your own face in a mirror.
24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
You see yourself, but then you leave, and immediately forget what you looked like.
25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth [therein], he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
But if you look to the perfect law of freedom and follow it, not as someone who just listens and then forgets, but as someone who acts on it—then you will be blessed in what you do.
26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion [is] vain.
If you think you're religious, but don't control what you say, you deceive yourself—your religion is pointless.
27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, [and] to keep himself unspotted from the world.
In the eyes of our God and Father, religion that's pure and genuine is to visit orphans and widows in their suffering, and to keep yourself from being contaminated by the world.
