James 1
1 James the servant of God, and of our Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.
2 My brethren, count it all joy, when you shall fall into divers temptations;
My brothers, count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations;
3 Knowing that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
Knowing this, that the trying of your faith works patience.
4 And patience hath a perfect work; that you may be perfect and entire, failing in nothing.
But let patience have her perfect work, that you may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
5 But 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.
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that gives to all men liberally, and upbraids not; and it shall be given him.
6 But 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.
But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavers is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
7 Therefore let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
8 A double minded man is inconstant in all his ways.
A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
9 But let the brother of low condition glory in his exaltation:
Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:
10 And the rich, in his being low; because as the flower of the grass shall he pass away.
But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.
11 For 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.
For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it wither the grass, and the flower thereof falls, and the grace of the fashion of it perishes: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.
12 Blessed 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.
Blessed is the man that endures temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to them that love him.
13 Let 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.
Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempts he any man:
14 But every man is tempted by his own concupiscence, being drawn away and allured.
But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
15 Then when concupiscence hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin. But sin, when it is completed, begetteth death.
Then when lust has conceived, it brings forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, brings forth death.
16 Do not err, therefore, my dearest brethren.
Do not err, my beloved brothers.
17 Every 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.
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no ficklenss, neither shadow of turning.
18 For of his own will hath he begotten us by the word of truth, that we might be some beginning of his creatures.
Of his own will fathered he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.
19 You know, my dearest brethren. And let every man be swift to hear, but slow to speak, and slow to anger.
Why, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
20 For the anger of man worketh not the justice of God.
For the wrath of man works not the righteousness of God.
21 Wherefore casting away all uncleanness, and abundance of naughtiness, with meekness receive the ingrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
Why lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
But be you doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
23 For 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.
For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like to a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
24 For he beheld himself, and went his way, and presently forgot what manner of man he was.
For he beholds himself, and goes his way, and straightway forgets what manner of man he was.
25 But 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.
But whoever looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
26 And if any man think himself to be religious, not bridling his tongue, but deceiving his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.
If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridles not his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.
27 Religion 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.
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.
