James 1
1 James, a slave of God and of Sovereign Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes that are in the Dispersion: Greetings.
James, a servant of God, and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes that are in the dispersion, greeting.
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, whenever you fall into various trials,
My brethren, count it all joy, when you fall into manifold trials,
3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance;
knowing that the trial of your faith produces patience.
4 but let that endurance have a complete work, so that you may be perfect and complete, falling short in nothing.
But let patience have its work perfected, that you may be perfect and faultless, wanting in nothing.
5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask from the giving God, who gives to all liberally and does not reproach, and it will be given to him.
Now, if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally, and upbraids not; and it shall be given him.
6 However, let him ask in faith, with no doubting, because he who doubts is like a sea wave driven and tossed by the wind—
But let him ask in faith, doubting not: for he that doubts, is like a wave of the sea, driven by the wind, and tossed.
7 such a man should not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord,
For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing from the Lord.
8 being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.
9 Now the lowly brother should glory in his high position,
Let the brother that is in a lowly condition, glory in his exaltation:
10 but the rich brother in his humiliation, because he will pass away like a flower of wild grass.
but he that is rich, in his humiliation; because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.
11 For the sun rises with its burning heat and withers the grass, and its flower falls off and the beauty of its face perishes. Just so the rich man will be withered in his undertakings.
For the sun rises with its burning heat, and withers the grass, and its flower falls, and the beauty of its form perishes. So, also, shall the rich man fade away in his ways.
12 A man who endures testing is blessed, because upon becoming approved he will receive the crown of the life that the Lord has promised to those loving Him.
Blessed is the man that endures trial: for, being approved, he shall receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love him.
13 Let no one, upon being tempted, say, “I am being tempted by God,” because God is untemptable by evil, so He Himself does not tempt anyone.
Let no one say, when he is tempted, My temptation is from God; for God can not be tempted by evils, and he himself tempts no man.
14 But each one is tempted by his own craving, being taken in tow and enticed.
But every one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desire, and is deluded.
15 Then the craving, upon conceiving, gives birth to sin, and the sin, upon completion, delivers death.
So, then, desire, when it has conceived, brings forth sin; and sin, when it is matured, brings forth death.
16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers:
Be not deceived, my beloved brethren;
17 every good giving and every perfect gift is from Above, coming down from the Father of the lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
every good gift, and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no change, nor slightest trace of turning.
18 Having willed it, He brought us forth by a word of truth, so that we might be a sort of firstfruits of His products.
Of his own will, he begot us with the word of truth, in order that we might be, as it were, the first-fruits of his creatures.
19 So then, my beloved brothers, let every man be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;
So, then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.
20 because a man's anger does not achieve God's righteousness.
For the wrath of man produces not the righteousness of God.
21 Therefore, laying aside all filthiness and overflow of evil, receive with meekness the implanted Word which is able to save your souls.
Wherefore, laying aside all filthiness, and every excess caused by malice, receive with meekness the ingrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
22 Further, become word doers and not just hearers, deceiving yourselves.
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
23 Because if anyone is a law hearer and not a doer, the same is like a man observing his physical face in a mirror;
For if any one is a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like a man that looks at his natural face in a mirror:
24 for he observes himself, then goes away and promptly forgets what he is like.
for he looks at himself, and goes away, and immediately forgets what sort of person he is.
25 But he who looks carefully into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, he—not being a forgetful hearer but a work doer—he will be blessed in what he does.
But he that looks intently into the perfect law of liberty, and remains constant, being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, he shall be blessed in his deed.
26 If anyone among you thinks he is religious, not bridling his tongue but deceiving his heart, his religion is useless.
If any one among you seems to be religious, and bridles not his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.
27 Pure and undefiled religion before God and Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their adversity; to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
Religion, pure 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.
