James 1
1 Yaquv, a servant of God and of the Lord Yeshua Meshikha, to the twelve tribes which are in the Diaspora: Greetings.
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, greets the twelve tribes that are living abroad.
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials,
My friends, whatever trials you may face from time to time, always regard them as a reason for rejoicing,
3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.
knowing, as you do, that the testing of your faith develops endurance.
4 Let endurance have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
And let endurance do its work perfectly, so that you may be altogether perfect, and in no respect lacking.
5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without finding fault; and it will be given to him.
If any one of you lacks wisdom, they should ask wisdom from the God who gives freely to everyone without reproach, and it will be given to them.
6 But let him ask in faith, without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.
But they should ask with confidence, never doubting; for the person who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven here and there at the mercy of the wind –
7 For let that person not think that he will receive anything from the Lord.
Such a person must not expect that they will receive anything from the Lord,
8 He is a double-minded person, unstable in all his ways.
vacillating as they are, irresolute at every turn.
9 But let the brother in humble circumstances glory in his high position;
Let a follower in humble circumstances be proud of their exalted position,
10 and the rich, in that he is made humble, because like the flower in the grass, he will pass away.
but a rich follower of their humiliation; for the rich will pass away like a wild flower.
11 For the sun arises with the scorching wind, and withers the grass, and the flower in it falls, and the beauty of its appearance perishes. So also will the rich person fade away in his pursuits.
As the sun rises, and the hot wind blows, the plant withers, its flower fades, and all its beauty is gone. So is it with the rich. In the midst of their pursuits they will wither away.
12 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial, for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which he promised to those who love him.
Blessed is the person who remains firm under temptation, for, when they have stood the test, they will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love him.
13 Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God," for God cannot be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one.
Let no one say, when they are tempted, ‘It is God who is tempting me!’ For God, who cannot be tempted to do wrong, does not himself tempt anyone.
14 But each one is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed.
A man is in every case tempted by their own passions – allured and enticed by them.
15 Then the lust, when it has conceived, bears sin; and the sin, when it is full grown, brings forth death.
Then passion conceives and gives birth to sin, and sin, on reaching maturity, brings forth death.
16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers.
Do not be deceived, my dear friends.
17 All generous giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, nor turning shadow.
Every good thing given us, and every perfect gift, is from above, and comes down to us from the Father of the lights in the heavens, who is himself never subject to change or to eclipse.
18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.
Because he so willed, he gave us life, through the message of the truth, so that we should be, as it were, a kind of first fruits of his creation.
19 This you know, my beloved brothers. But let every person be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger;
Mark this, my dear friends – Let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry;
20 for human anger does not produce the righteousness of God.
for human anger does not forward the righteous purpose of God.
21 Therefore, putting away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness, receive with humility the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
Therefore, get rid of all filthiness and whatever wickedness still remains, and in a humble spirit receive that message which has been planted in your hearts and is able to save your souls.
22 But be doers of the word, and not only hearers, deluding your own selves.
Put that message into practice, and do not merely listen to it – deceiving yourselves.
23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like someone looking at his natural face in a mirror;
For, when anyone listens to it and does not practice it, they are like a person looking at their own face in a mirror.
24 for he sees himself, and goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of person he was.
They look at themselves, then go on their way,
25 But he who looks into the perfect Law of freedom, and continues, not being a hearer who forgets, but a doer of the work, this person will be blessed in what he does.
but the person who looks carefully into the perfect Law, the Law of freedom, and continues to do so, not listening to it and then forgetting it, but putting it into practice – that person will be blessed in what they do.
26 If anyone thinks himself to be religious while he does not control his tongue, but deceives his heart, this one's religion is worthless.
When a person appears to be religious, yet does not bridle their tongue, but imposes on their own conscience, that person’s religious observances are valueless.
27 Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.
That religious observance which is pure and spotless in the eyes of God our Father is this – to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself uncontaminated by the world.
