< James 1 >
1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are in the Diaspora: Greetings.
James, a bondman of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes in the Dispersion, greeting.
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials,
Consider it all joy, my brothers, when ye encounter various trials,
3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.
knowing that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.
4 Let endurance have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
And let perseverance have a perfect work, so that ye may be perfect and complete, falling short in nothing.
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.
And if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask from God who gives to all generously and not reproaching, and it will be given to him.
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 let him ask in faith, doubting nothing, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven by wind and tossed about.
7 For let that person not think that he will receive anything from the Lord.
For that man should not think that he will receive anything from the Lord,
8 He is a double-minded person, unstable in all his ways.
a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
9 But let the brother in humble circumstances glory in his high position;
Now let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation,
10 and the rich, in that he is made humble, because like the flower in the grass, he will pass away.
but the rich in his lowliness, because as a flower of grass he will pass away.
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.
For the sun rose up 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 man will fade away among his pursuits.
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 a man who endures temptation, because, having become approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord 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 man say when he is tempted, I am tempted by God, for God is without temptation of evils, and he himself tempts no man.
14 But each one is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed.
But each man is tempted by his own lust, being drawn away and enticed.
15 Then the lust, when it has conceived, bears sin; and the sin, when it is full grown, brings forth death.
Then the lust having conceived, it gives birth to sin, and after being complete the sin brings forth death.
16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers.
Be not led astray, my beloved brothers.
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 gift and every perfect endowment is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation nor shadow of turning.
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.
Having deliberated, he begot us by the word of truth for us to be a certain first fruit of his creatures.
19 This you know, my beloved brothers. But let every person be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger;
Therefore, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.
20 for human anger does not produce the righteousness of God.
For the wrath of man does not accomplish the righteousness 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 having put off all filthiness and profusion of evil, receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
22 But be doers of the word, and not only hearers, deluding your own selves.
But become ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, 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;
Because if any man is a hearer of the word and not a doer, this resembles a man observing his natural face in a mirror.
24 for he sees himself, and goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of person he was.
For he observes himself, and goes away, and straightaway forgets what kind of man he was.
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 he who stooped to look into the perfect law, the one of liberty, and who remained, this man, who did not become a forgetful hearer but a doer of work, this man will be blessed in his doing.
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.
If any man among you seems to be religious, not bridling his tongue but deceiving his heart, this man's religion is futile.
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.
Pure religion and undefiled from God and the Father is this, to go help the orphaned and the widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.