James 1
1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are in the Diaspora: Greetings.
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!
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials,
My friends, choose to stay happy even when all kinds of troubles come your way,
3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.
because you know that endurance comes from dealing with challenges to your trust in God.
4 Let endurance have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
Let your endurance become as strong as possible, so that you will be completely mature, without any shortcomings.
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 of you need wisdom, ask God, who gives generously to everyone without holding back.
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 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.
7 For let that person not think that he will receive anything from the Lord.
Nobody like that should think they'll get anything from the Lord—
8 He is a double-minded person, unstable in all his ways.
their minds think every which way, and they're unstable in whatever they do.
9 But let the brother in humble circumstances glory in his high position;
Believers who are born poor should take pride in the high position they've been given,
10 and the rich, in that he is made humble, because like the flower in the grass, he will pass away.
while the rich should “boast” in the humble position they now have, since they will fade away like flowers in the field.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
14 But each one is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed.
Temptations come from our own evil desires that lead us astray and entrap us.
15 Then the lust, when it has conceived, bears sin; and the sin, when it is full grown, brings forth death.
Such desires lead to sin, and sin, when it's fully developed, causes death.
16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers.
My dear friends, don't be deceived.
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.
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.
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.
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.
19 This you know, my beloved brothers. But let every person be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger;
Remember this, my dear friends: everyone should be quick to listen but slow to speak, and slow to get angry,
20 for human anger does not produce the righteousness of God.
because human anger doesn't reflect the good character 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.
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.
22 But be doers of the word, and not only hearers, deluding your own selves.
But do what the word says—don't just listen to it and delude 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;
If you just listen to the word, and don't act on it, it's like staring at your own face in a mirror.
24 for he sees himself, and goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of person he was.
You see yourself, but then you leave, and immediately forget what you looked like.
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 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.
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 you think you're religious, but don't control what you say, you deceive yourself—your religion is pointless.
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.
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.
