James 1
1 James, a servant of God and of the 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 who are in the dispersion: Greetings!
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds,
Count [it] all joy, my brothers, when you may fall into manifold temptations,
3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.
knowing that the proof of your faith works endurance,
4 Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
and let the endurance have a perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
5 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.
And if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask from God, who is giving to all generously, and not reproaching, and it will be given to him;
6 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.
but let him ask in faith, doubting nothing, for he who is doubting has been like a wave of the sea, driven by wind and tossed;
7 That man should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.
for do not let that man suppose that he will receive anything from the LORD—
8 He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
a soul-split man [is] unstable in all his ways.
9 The brother in humble circumstances should exult in his high position.
And let the brother who is low rejoice in his exaltation,
10 But the one who is rich should exult in his low position, because he will pass away like a flower of the field.
but the rich in his becoming low, because he will pass away as a flower of grass;
11 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.
for the sun rose with the burning heat, and withered the grass, and the flower of it fell, and the beauty of its appearance perished, so also the rich in his way will fade away!
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.
Blessed [is] the man who endures temptation, because, becoming approved, he will receive the garland of life, which the LORD promised to those loving Him.
13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone.
Let no one who is being tempted say, “I am tempted from God,” for God is not tempted by evils, and Himself tempts no one,
14 But each one is tempted when by his own evil desires he is lured away and enticed.
but each one is tempted, being led away and enticed by his own desires;
15 Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
afterward the desire having conceived, gives birth to sin, and sin having been perfected, brings forth death.
16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers.
Do not be led astray, my beloved brothers.
17 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.
Every good giving, and every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variation, or shadow of turning;
18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we would be a kind of firstfruits of His creation.
having willed [it], He begot us with a word of truth, for our being a certain first-fruit of His creatures.
19 My beloved brothers, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger,
So then, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger,
20 for man’s anger does not bring about the righteousness that God desires.
for the wrath of a man does not work the righteousness of God;
21 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.
for this reason, having put aside all filthiness and superabundance of evil, receive the implanted word in meekness, that is able to save your souls;
22 Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves.
and become doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves,
23 For anyone who hears the word but does not carry it out is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror,
because, if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, this one has been like to a man viewing his natural face in a mirror,
24 and after observing himself goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.
for he viewed himself, and has gone away, and immediately he forgot what kind of [man] he was;
25 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.
but he who looked into [the] perfect law—that of liberty, and continued there, not becoming a forgetful hearer, but a doer of work—this one will be blessed in his doing.
26 If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not bridle his tongue, he deceives his heart and his religion is worthless.
If anyone thinks to be religious among you, not bridling his tongue, but deceiving his heart, the religion of this one [is] vain;
27 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.
religion pure and undefiled with the God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their tribulation—to keep himself unspotted from the world.
