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 slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, sends greeting to the twelve tribes that are scattered abroad.
2 All joy count [it], my brethren, when ye may fall into temptations manifold;
My brothers, when you are beset by various temptations, count it all joy,
3 knowing that the proof of your faith doth work endurance,
because you know that the testing of your faith is working out endurance.
4 and let the endurance have a perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire — in nothing lacking;
But let endurance have its perfect work, so that you may be perfect and entire, not lacking in anything.
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 one of you is lacking in wisdom, let him ask it from the God who gives to all men freely and without upbraiding; 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 wavering; for he who wavers is like a surge of the sea, wind-driven and tossed.
7 for let not that man suppose that he shall receive anything from the Lord —
Such a man need not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord,
8 a two-souled man [is] unstable in all his ways.
double-minded as he is, unstable at every turn.
9 And let the brother who is low rejoice in his exaltation,
Let a brother in humble circumstances glory in his exaltation;
10 and the rich in his becoming low, because as a flower of grass he shall pass away;
but a rich brother, in his humiliation; because like the flower of the grass the rich man 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 as the sun comes up with a burning heat, it withers the grass, and its flowers fall, and the grace of the fashion of it perishes; so also shall the rich man fade away amid 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 stood the test 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,
When he is being tempted, let no one say, "It is God who tempts me," for God cannot be tempted with evil, nor does he tempt any man.
14 and each one is tempted, by his own desires being led away and enticed,
But each man is tempted by his own lusts that allure and entice him.
15 afterward the desire having conceived, doth give birth to sin, and the sin having been perfected, doth bring forth death.
Then lust conceives and gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is mature, brings forth death.
16 Be not led astray, my brethren beloved;
Do not be deceived, my 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 gift and every perfect boon is from above, and is ever coming down to us from the Father of the heavenly lights, with whom is no variation nor shadow of eclipse.
18 having counselled, He did beget us with a word of truth, for our being a certain first-fruit of His creatures.
Because he willed, he gave us birth through the word of truth, so that we should be a kind of first-fruits among his creatures.
19 So then, my brethren beloved, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger,
Mark this well, my dear brothers. Let every man be swift in hearing, slow in speaking, slow in growing angry;
20 for the wrath of a man the righteousness of God doth not work;
for a man’s anger does not further the righteous purpose 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;
So strip off all filthiness and superfluity of wickedness, and in meekness 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,
And become doers of the Word, and not merely hearers, 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,
Because if any one is a hearer of the Word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks 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 after he has looked carefully at himself, he goes away, and at once forgets what he is 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 the man who looks closely into the perfect law - the law of liberty - and continues looking, this man will be blessed in his deed because he is not a hearer who forgets, but a doer who 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 a man thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue, but deceives his own religion,
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.
and undefiled before our God and Father, to look after orphans and widows in their affliction, and ever to keep himself unspotted from the world.
