James 1
1 This letter comes from James, servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is sent to the twelve tribes scattered abroad. Best wishes to you!
James, a slave of God and of Sovereign Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes that are in the Dispersion: Greetings.
2 My friends, choose to stay happy even when all kinds of troubles come your way,
Count it all joy, my brothers, whenever you fall into various trials,
3 because you know that endurance comes from dealing with challenges to your trust in God.
knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance;
4 Let your endurance become as strong as possible, so that you will be completely mature, without any shortcomings.
but let that endurance have a complete work, so that you may be perfect and complete, falling short in nothing.
5 If any of you need wisdom, ask God, who gives generously to everyone without holding back.
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.
6 But when you ask, remember to trust in God—don't have any doubts. Someone who doubts is like the crashing waves of the sea, tossed about and driven by the wind.
However, let him ask in faith, with no doubting, because he who doubts is like a sea wave driven and tossed by the wind—
7 Nobody like that should think they'll get anything from the Lord—
such a man should not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord,
8 their minds think every which way, and they're unstable in whatever they do.
being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
9 Believers who are born poor should take pride in the high position they've been given,
Now the lowly brother should glory in his high position,
10 while the rich should “boast” in the humble position they now have, since they will fade away like flowers in the field.
but the rich brother in his humiliation, because he will pass away like a flower of wild grass.
11 For the sun rises along with the blistering wind and scorches the grass. The flowers fall and their beauty is marred. Everything the rich achieve will fade in just the same way.
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.
12 Happy is anyone who patiently endures temptation, for when they've proved that they are trustworthy, they will receive the crown of life which God promises to those who love him.
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.
13 Nobody should say when they're tempted, “I'm being tempted by God.” For God is not tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone.
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.
14 Temptations come from our own evil desires that lead us astray and entrap us.
But each one is tempted by his own craving, being taken in tow and enticed.
15 Such desires lead to sin, and sin, when it's fully developed, causes death.
Then the craving, upon conceiving, gives birth to sin, and the sin, upon completion, delivers death.
16 My dear friends, don't be deceived.
Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers:
17 All that's good, every perfect gift, is from above, and comes down from the Father who made heaven's lights. Unlike them he doesn't change—he doesn't vary or cause shadows.
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.
18 He chose to give us new life through the word of truth, so that out of all his creation we would be very special to him.
Having willed it, He brought us forth by a word of truth, so that we might be a sort of firstfruits of His products.
19 Remember this, my dear friends: everyone should be quick to listen but slow to speak, and slow to get angry,
So then, my beloved brothers, let every man be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;
20 because human anger doesn't reflect the good character of God.
because a man's anger does not achieve God's righteousness.
21 So get rid of all that's filthy and evil. Humbly accept the word that's been implanted within you—for this is what can save you.
Therefore, laying aside all filthiness and overflow of evil, receive with meekness the implanted Word which is able to save your souls.
22 But do what the word says—don't just listen to it and delude yourselves.
Further, become word doers and not just hearers, deceiving yourselves.
23 If you just listen to the word, and don't act on it, it's like staring at your own face in a mirror.
Because if anyone is a law hearer and not a doer, the same is like a man observing his physical face in a mirror;
24 You see yourself, but then you leave, and immediately forget what you looked like.
for he observes himself, then goes away and promptly forgets what he is like.
25 But if you look to the perfect law of freedom and follow it, not as someone who just listens and then forgets, but as someone who acts on it—then you will be blessed in what you do.
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.
26 If you think you're religious, but don't control what you say, you deceive yourself—your religion is pointless.
If anyone among you thinks he is religious, not bridling his tongue but deceiving his heart, his religion is useless.
27 In the eyes of our God and Father, religion that's pure and genuine is to visit orphans and widows in their suffering, and to keep yourself from being contaminated by the world.
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.
