James

A Greeting from James

1James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes of the Dispersion: Greetings.

Rejoicing in Trials

2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds,

3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.

4Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

5Now 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.

6But he must ask in faith, without doubting, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

7That man should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.

8He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

9The brother in humble circumstances should exult in his high position.

10But the one who is rich should exult in his low position, because he will pass away like a flower of the field.

11For 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.

12Blessed 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.

Good and Perfect Gifts

13When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone.

14But each one is tempted when by his own evil desires he is lured away and enticed.

15Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

16Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers.

17Every 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.

18He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we would be a kind of firstfruits of His creation.

Hearing and Doing

19My beloved brothers, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger,

20for man’s anger does not bring about the righteousness that God desires.

21Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and every expression of evil, and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save your souls.

22Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves.

23For anyone who hears the word but does not carry it out is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror,

24and after observing himself goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.

25But 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.

26If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not bridle his tongue, he deceives his heart and his religion is worthless.

27Pure 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.

1James the servant of God, and of our Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.

2My brethren, count it all joy, when you shall fall into divers temptations;

3Knowing that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

4And patience hath a perfect work; that you may be perfect and entire, failing in nothing.

5But if any of you want wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all men abundantly, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

6But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea, which is moved and carried about by the wind.

7Therefore let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

8A double minded man is inconstant in all his ways.

9But let the brother of low condition glory in his exaltation:

10And the rich, in his being low; because as the flower of the grass shall he pass away.

11For the sun rose with a burning heat, and parched the grass, and the flower thereof fell off, and the beauty of the shape thereof perished: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.

12Blessed is the man that endureth temptation; for when he hath been proved, he shall receive a crown of life, which God hath promised to them that love him.

13Let no man, when he is tempted, say that he is tempted by God. For God is not a tempter of evils, and he tempteth no man.

14But every man is tempted by his own concupiscence, being drawn away and allured.

15Then when concupiscence hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin. But sin, when it is completed, begetteth death.

16Do not err, therefore, my dearest brethren.

17Every best gift, and every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no change, nor shadow of alteration.

18For of his own will hath he begotten us by the word of truth, that we might be some beginning of his creatures.

19You know, my dearest brethren. And let every man be swift to hear, but slow to speak, and slow to anger.

20For the anger of man worketh not the justice of God.

21Wherefore casting away all uncleanness, and abundance of naughtiness, with meekness receive the ingrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

22But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

23For if a man be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he shall be compared to a man beholding his own countenance in a glass.

24For he beheld himself, and went his way, and presently forgot what manner of man he was.

25But he that hath looked into the perfect law of liberty, and hath continued therein, not becoming a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work; this man shall be blessed in his deed.

26And if any man think himself to be religious, not bridling his tongue, but deceiving his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.

27Religion clean and undefiled before God and the Father, is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their tribulation: and to keep one’s self unspotted from this world.