James 1
1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes who are in the dispersion: Greetings!
James, a slave of God and of Sovereign Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes that are in the Dispersion: Greetings.
2 Count [it] all joy, my brothers, when you may fall into manifold temptations,
Count it all joy, my brothers, whenever you fall into various trials,
3 knowing that the proof of your faith works endurance,
knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance;
4 and let the endurance have a perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
but let that endurance have a complete work, so that you may be perfect and complete, falling short in nothing.
5 And if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask from God, who is giving to all generously, and not reproaching, and it will be given to him;
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 let him ask in faith, doubting nothing, for he who is doubting has been like a wave of the sea, driven by wind and tossed;
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 for do not let that man suppose that he will receive anything from the LORD—
such a man should not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord,
8 a soul-split man [is] unstable in all his ways.
being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
9 And let the brother who is low rejoice in his exaltation,
Now the lowly brother should glory in his high position,
10 but the rich in his becoming low, because he will pass away as a flower of grass;
but the rich brother in his humiliation, because he will pass away like a flower of wild grass.
11 for the sun rose with the burning heat, and withered the grass, and the flower of it fell, and the beauty of its appearance perished, so also the rich in his way will fade away!
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 Blessed [is] the man who endures temptation, because, becoming approved, he will receive the garland of life, which the LORD promised to those loving 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 Let no one who is being tempted say, “I am tempted from God,” for God is not tempted by evils, and Himself tempts no one,
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 but each one is tempted, being led away and enticed by his own desires;
But each one is tempted by his own craving, being taken in tow and enticed.
15 afterward the desire having conceived, gives birth to sin, and sin having been perfected, brings forth death.
Then the craving, upon conceiving, gives birth to sin, and the sin, upon completion, delivers death.
16 Do not be led astray, my beloved brothers.
Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers:
17 Every good giving, and every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variation, or shadow of turning;
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 having willed [it], He begot us with a word of truth, for our being a certain first-fruit of His creatures.
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 So then, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger,
So then, my beloved brothers, let every man be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;
20 for the wrath of a man does not work the righteousness of God;
because a man's anger does not achieve God's righteousness.
21 for this reason, having put aside all filthiness and superabundance of evil, receive the implanted word in meekness, that is able to save your souls;
Therefore, laying aside all filthiness and overflow of evil, receive with meekness the implanted Word which is able to save your souls.
22 and become doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves,
Further, become word doers and not just hearers, deceiving yourselves.
23 because, if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, this one has been like to a man viewing his natural 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 for he viewed himself, and has gone away, and immediately he forgot what kind of [man] he was;
for he observes himself, then goes away and promptly forgets what he is like.
25 but he who looked into [the] perfect law—that of liberty, and continued there, not becoming a forgetful hearer, but a doer of work—this one will be blessed in his doing.
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 anyone thinks to be religious among you, not bridling his tongue, but deceiving his heart, the religion of this one [is] vain;
If anyone among you thinks he is religious, not bridling his tongue but deceiving his heart, his religion is useless.
27 religion pure and undefiled with the God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their tribulation—to keep himself unspotted from 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.
