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 which are scattered abroad, greeting.
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, whenever you fall into various trials,
My brethren, count it all joy when all of you fall into divers temptations;
3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance;
Knowing this, that the trying of your faith works 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 her perfect work, that all of you may be perfect and entire, lacking 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.
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that gives to all men liberally, and reproaches 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, nothing wavering. For he that wavers is like a wave of the sea driven with 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 of 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 of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:
10 but the rich brother in his humiliation, because he will pass away like a flower of wild grass.
But the rich, in that he is made low: 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 is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withers 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 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 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 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 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 each one is tempted by his own craving, being taken in tow and enticed.
But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
15 Then the craving, upon conceiving, gives birth to sin, and the sin, upon completion, delivers death.
Then when lust has conceived, it brings forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, brings forth death.
16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers:
Do not go astray, 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 is no variableness, neither shadow 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 brings forth he us with the word (logos) of truth, that we should be a kind of first-fruits of his creatures.
19 So then, my beloved brothers, let every man be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;
Wherefore, 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 works 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 lay apart all filthiness and abundance of evil, and receive with meekness the implanted word, (logos) which is able to save your souls.
22 Further, become word doers and not just hearers, deceiving yourselves.
But be all of you doers of the word, (logos) and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
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 be a hearer of the word, (logos) and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
24 for he observes himself, then goes away and promptly forgets what he is like.
For he beholds himself, and goes his way, and immediately forgets what manner of man he was.
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 whoso 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 If anyone among you thinks he is religious, not bridling his tongue but deceiving his heart, his religion is useless.
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 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.
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.
