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 servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes who are scattered abroad: Greetings.
2 Count [it] all joy, my brothers, when you may fall into manifold temptations,
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you experience various trials,
3 knowing that the proof of your faith works endurance,
because you know 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.
And let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking 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;
If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without 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;
But he must ask in faith without doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven by the wind and tossed about.
7 for do not let that man suppose that he will receive anything from the LORD—
That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.
8 a soul-split man [is] unstable in all his ways.
A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.
9 And let the brother who is low rejoice in his exaltation,
The lowly brother should rejoice in being exalted,
10 but the rich in his becoming low, because he will pass away as a flower of grass;
and the rich man should rejoice in being made low, because he will pass away like a flower of 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 scorching heat and withers the grass, and its flower falls, and the beauty of its appearance perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in his pursuits.
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.
Blessed is the man who endures temptation, for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love 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,
No one should say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God is not tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one.
14 but each one is tempted, being led away and enticed by his own desires;
But each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own evil desires.
15 afterward the desire having conceived, gives birth to sin, and sin having been perfected, brings forth death.
And when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin. And when sin is fully grown, it brings forth 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 and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of 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.
Of his own will he gave us birth by the word of truth so that we would be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
19 So then, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger,
So then, my beloved brothers, everyone should be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger.
20 for the wrath of a man does not work the righteousness of God;
For the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
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, putting aside all filthiness and rampant wickedness, humbly receive the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
22 and become doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves,
But be doers of the word and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are 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,
For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his 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 looks at himself and goes away, and then immediately forgets what he looks 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 into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, is not a forgetful hearer but a doer who acts. 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 considers himself to be religious but does not bridle his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.
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 our Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unstained by the world.
