James 1
1 James, of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ a servant, to the Twelve Tribes who are in the dispersion: Hail!
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are in the Diaspora: Greetings.
2 All joy count [it], my brethren, when ye may fall into temptations manifold;
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials,
3 knowing that the proof of your faith doth work endurance,
knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.
4 and let the endurance have a perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire — in nothing lacking;
Let endurance have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
5 and if any of you do lack wisdom, let him ask from God, who is giving to all liberally, and not reproaching, and it shall be given to him;
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.
6 and let him ask in faith, nothing doubting, for he who is doubting hath been like a wave of the sea, driven by wind and tossed,
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.
7 for let not that man suppose that he shall receive anything from the Lord —
For let that person not think that he will receive anything from the Lord.
8 a two-souled man [is] unstable in all his ways.
He is a double-minded person, unstable in all his ways.
9 And let the brother who is low rejoice in his exaltation,
But let the brother in humble circumstances glory in his high position;
10 and the rich in his becoming low, because as a flower of grass he shall pass away;
and the rich, in that he is made humble, because like the flower in the grass, he will pass away.
11 for the sun did rise with the burning heat, and did wither the grass, and the flower of it fell, and the grace of its appearance did perish, so also the rich in his way shall fade away!
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.
12 Happy the man who doth endure temptation, because, becoming approved, he shall receive the crown of the life, which the Lord did promise to those loving Him.
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.
13 Let no one say, being tempted — 'From God I am tempted,' for God is not tempted of evil, and Himself doth tempt no one,
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.
14 and each one is tempted, by his own desires being led away and enticed,
But each one is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed.
15 afterward the desire having conceived, doth give birth to sin, and the sin having been perfected, doth bring forth death.
Then the lust, when it has conceived, bears sin; and the sin, when it is full grown, brings forth death.
16 Be not led astray, my brethren beloved;
Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers.
17 every good giving, and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the lights, with whom is no variation, or shadow of turning;
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.
18 having counselled, He did beget us with a word of truth, for our being a certain first-fruit of His creatures.
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.
19 So then, my brethren beloved, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger,
This you know, my beloved brothers. But let every person be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger;
20 for the wrath of a man the righteousness of God doth not work;
for human anger does not produce the righteousness of God.
21 wherefore having put aside all filthiness and superabundance of evil, in meekness be receiving the engrafted word, that is able to save your souls;
Therefore, putting away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness, receive with humility the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
22 and become ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves,
But be doers of the word, and not only hearers, deluding your own selves.
23 because, if any one is a hearer of the word and not a doer, this one hath 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 someone looking at his natural face in a mirror;
24 for he did view himself, and hath gone away, and immediately he did forget of what kind he was;
for he sees himself, and goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of person he was.
25 and he who did look into the perfect law — that of liberty, and did continue there, this one — not a forgetful hearer becoming, but a doer of work — this one shall be happy in his doing.
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.
26 If any one doth think to be religious among you, not bridling his tongue, but deceiving his heart, of this one vain [is] the religion;
If anyone thinks himself to be religious while he does not control his tongue, but deceives his heart, this one's religion is worthless.
27 religion pure and undefiled with the God and Father is this, to look after orphans and widows in their tribulation — unspotted to keep himself from the world.
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.
