James 1
1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes of the Dispersion: Greetings.
James, bondman of God and of [the] Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which [are] in the dispersion, greeting.
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds,
Count it all joy, my brethren, when ye fall into various temptations,
3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.
knowing that the proving of your faith works endurance.
4 Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
But let endurance have [its] perfect work, that ye 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.
But if any one of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all freely and reproaches not, and it shall 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, nothing doubting. For he that doubts is like a wave of the sea driven by the wind and tossed about;
7 That man should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.
for let not that man think that he shall receive anything from the Lord;
8 He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
[he is] a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
9 The brother in humble circumstances should exult in his high position.
But let the brother of low degree glory in his elevation,
10 But the one who is rich should exult in his low position, because he will pass away like a flower of the field.
and the rich in his humiliation, because as [the] grass's flower he will pass away.
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 has risen with its burning heat, and has withered the grass, and its flower has fallen, and the comeliness of its look has perished: thus the rich also shall wither in his goings.
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; for, having been proved, he shall receive the crown of life, which He has promised to them that love 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 man, being tempted, say, I am tempted of God. For God cannot be tempted by evil things, and himself tempts no one.
14 But each one is tempted when by his own evil desires he is lured away and enticed.
But every one is tempted, drawn away, and enticed by his own lust;
15 Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
then lust, having conceived, gives birth to sin; but sin fully completed brings forth death.
16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers.
Do not err, my beloved brethren.
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 gift and every perfect gift comes down from above, from the Father of lights, with whom is no variation nor 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.
According to his own will begat he us by the word of truth, that we should be a certain first-fruits of his creatures.
19 My beloved brothers, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger,
So that, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath;
20 for man’s anger does not bring about the righteousness that God desires.
for man's wrath does not work God's righteousness.
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.
Wherefore, laying aside all filthiness and abounding of wickedness, accept with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
22 Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves.
But be ye doers of [the] word and not hearers only, beguiling 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,
For if any man be a hearer of [the] word and not a doer, he is like to a man considering his natural face in a mirror:
24 and after observing himself goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.
for he has considered himself and is gone away, and straightway he has forgotten what he was like.
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 that fixes his view on [the] perfect law, that of liberty, and abides in [it], being not a forgetful hearer but a doer of [the] work, he shall 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 any one think himself to be religious, not bridling his tongue, but deceiving his heart, this man's religion 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.
Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
