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 who are scattered abroad: Greetings.
2 All joy count [it], my brethren, when ye may fall into temptations manifold;
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you experience various trials,
3 knowing that the proof of your faith doth work endurance,
because you know 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;
And let endurance have its full effect, so 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;
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 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 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 let not that man suppose that he shall receive anything from the Lord —
That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.
8 a two-souled 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 and the rich in his becoming low, because as a flower of grass he shall pass away;
and the rich man should rejoice in being made low, because he will pass away like a flower of grass.
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 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 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 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 say, being tempted — 'From God I am tempted,' for God is not tempted of evil, and Himself doth tempt 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 and each one is tempted, by his own desires being led away and enticed,
But each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own evil desires.
15 afterward the desire having conceived, doth give birth to sin, and the sin having been perfected, doth bring forth death.
And when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin. And when sin is fully grown, it 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;
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 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 gave us birth by the word of truth so that we would be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
19 So then, my brethren beloved, 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 the righteousness of God doth not work;
For the anger of man 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 aside all filthiness and rampant wickedness, humbly receive 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 hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves.
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 a man who looks at his 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 looks at himself and goes away, and then immediately forgets what he looks like.
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, 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 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 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 — unspotted to keep himself 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.
