Jakobus 1
1 Jakobus, Gottes und des Herrn Jesus Christus Knecht an die zwölf Stämme in der Diaspora seinen Gruß.
[I], James, am a servant of God and the Lord Jesus Christ. [I am writing this letter] to [all] the Jewish people [who trust in Christ] (OR, to all God’s people) who are scattered throughout the world. [I send my] greetings to [you all].
2 Achtet es für lauter Freude, meine Brüder, wenn ihr in mancherlei Versuchungen fallt,
My fellow believers, rejoice greatly, [even] when you experience various kinds of difficulties/troubles.
3 in der Erkenntnis, daß eure Glaubensprobe Ausdauer wirkt.
[God sometimes allows you to experience difficulties in order to] test whether or not you will continue to trust [him. Whenever that happens, you need to] realize more and more that [if you continue to trust him], you will be able to bravely/patiently endure difficulties.
4 Die Ausdauer aber soll es zum vollendeten Werk bringen, daß ihr vollkommen seid und ohne Fehl, in nichts zurück.
Keep on enduring difficulties [bravely/patiently by trusting God more and more firmly] [PRS], in order that you may become all that he intends you to be [DOU] (OR, [spiritually] mature and complete), not lacking (any [good quality/anything you need to conduct your lives as God wants you to]).
5 Wenn aber einer von euch an Weisheit zurück ist, so bitte er bei Gott, welcher allen gibt ohne weiteres, und nicht vorhält, so wird es ihm gegeben werden.
If anyone of you does not know how to act wisely [in order to endure difficulties/trials well], he should ask God [to show him what he should do, because] God wholeheartedly/gladly helps all people [who ask] and does not scold [anyone for asking. Those who ask], God will give them wisdom to know [what they should do].
6 Er bitte aber im Glauben und ohne Zweifel; denn wer zweifelt, gleicht einer Meereswelle, die vom Winde bewegt und hin und her getrieben wird.
But [when you] ask [God], you should firmly trust him. You should not doubt [that he wants to help you always], because people who keep doubting God are [unstable/changeable] [SIM] like a wave of the sea that is blown back and forth by the wind {that goes back and forth when the wind blows} [DOU, SIM].
7 Ein solcher Mensch meine doch nicht, daß er etwas von dem Herrn empfangen werde,
Indeed, people [who doubt] should not think that the Lord [God] will do anything [that they request him to do],
8 ein Mann mit geteilter Seele, unbeständig in allen seinen Wegen.
[because they are] people who cannot decide [whether they will commit themselves to God, and they are] unstable/undecided in everything that they do.
9 Es rühme sich aber der niedrige Bruder über seine Höhe,
Believers who are poor should be happy [that God] considers them very valuable (OR, has exalted them [spiritually]) [MTY].
10 der Reiche aber über seine Niedrigkeit, weil er wie die Blume des Grases vergehen wird.
And [believers] who are rich should be happy [that] they have humbled themselves [in order to trust in Jesus Christ] (OR, but rich people [can only] take pride [in the fact that God] will humble them [when he judges everyone] [IRO]), because they [and their riches] [MTY] will pass away, just like wild flowers [wither] [SIM].
11 Denn die Sonne gieng auf mit ihrer Glut und verdorrte das Gras, und seine Blume fiel aus und ihr liebliches Ansehen war dahin; so wird auch der Reiche auf seinen Wegen verwelken.
When the sun rises, the scorching hot wind dries plants, and their flowers fall and are no longer beautiful. Similarly, rich people will die [MET] while they are busy working, [leaving behind their riches].
12 Selig der Mann, der Versuchung erduldet; denn wenn er bewährt ward, wird er den Kranz des Lebens empfangen, den er verheißen hat denen, die ihn lieben.
[God] is pleased with people who bravely/patiently endure difficulties. And when, [by bravely enduring difficulties], they have proved [that they truly trust him], he will give them [eternal] life. That is the reward [MET] that he has promised to give to those who love him.
13 Niemand sage, wenn er versucht wird: ich werde von Gott aus versucht; denn für Gott gibt es keine Versuchung zum Bösen, er versucht keinen.
If people are tempted to do something that is evil, they should not think that it is God who is tempting them, because [God is totally/completely good]. He never tempts anyone [to do what is evil], nor can he ever be tempted to [do anything] evil.
14 Vielmehr wird jeder so versucht, daß er von seiner eigenen Lust hingezogen und gelockt wird.
But people strongly desire to do evil [PRS] things, [and as a result] they are tempted by those desires {those desires stimulate them} to do something evil [PRS, DOU].
15 Dann, wenn die Lust empfangen hat, gebiert sie Sünde; die Sünde aber, wenn sie vollbracht ist, gebiert Tod.
Then, [because] they have desired [MET] to do evil [PRS] things, they begin to [MET] do [PRS] them. And when they have become ones who [habitually] do what is evil [MET], [if they do not turn away from their sinful behavior], they will be separated from God forever.
16 Lasset euch nicht täuschen, meine teuren Brüder;
My fellow believers whom I love, stop deceiving yourselves, [thinking that God does evil things].
17 alles was gute Gabe und vollkommenes Geschenk ist, ist von oben her, es kommt herab vom Vater der Lichter, bei welchem keine Veränderung statthat noch ein Schatten von Wandel.
[The truth is that God], our heavenly Father [MTY], does only good [DOU] things [for us, in order to help us become] all that he intends us to be. He is not like all the things [in the sky] that he created to give light, [because they] change; [that is, they do not shine the same all the time]. But God never changes. [He is always good].
18 Er hat es gewollt und hat uns geboren durch das Wort der Wahrheit, daß wir seien eine Art Erstlingsfrucht unter seinen Geschöpfen.
[And because] he wanted [to help us], he gave us [spiritual] life as a result of our [trusting in his] true message. So now we have become the first ones of [all the people] [MET] that he created [to] ([be totally dedicated to/completely belong to]) [him].
19 Ihr wißt es, meine geliebten Brüder. Es sei jeder Mensch rasch zum Hören, langsam zum Reden, langsam zum Zorne.
My fellow believers whom I love, you know (OR, I want you to now) that every one of you should be eager to pay attention to [God’s true message]. Don’t speak [without thinking], nor get angry easily,
20 Denn eines Mannes Zorn wirkt nicht Gottes Gerechtigkeit.
because when any one [of you gets] angry, you will not be doing the righteous things that God [wants] you [to do].
21 Darum leget allen Schmutz und Auswuchs von Bosheit ab, und nehmet in Sanftmut das echte Wort an, das eure Seelen erretten kann.
So stop doing all kinds of evil [DOU] things, and humbly obey (OR, submit to) the message that [God] put in your (inner beings/hearts), [because] he is able to save you [SYN] [if you accept his message].
22 Werdet aber Thäter des Wortes und nicht allein Hörer, euch selbst zu betrügen.
Do [what God commands in] his message. Do not only listen [to it, because people who only listen to it and do not obey it] are wrong when they think [that God will save them].
23 Denn wenn einer Hörer des Wortes ist und nicht Thäter, der gleicht einem Manne, der sein natürliches Antlitz im Spiegel betrachtet.
Some people hear God’s message but do not do [what it says] [MET]. They are like someone who looks at his face in a mirror [SIM].
24 Er betrachtete sich, und gieng hin und vergaß alsbald, wie er war.
Although he looks at himself, he goes away [from the mirror] and immediately forgets what he looks like.
25 Wer aber hineingesehen hat in das vollkommene Gesetz der Freiheit und dabei blieb, wer nicht ein vergeßlicher Hörer war sondern ein wirklicher Thäter, der wird selig sein in seinem Thun.
But other people look closely at [God’s] message, which is perfect and which sets people free [to voluntarily do what God wants them to do]. And if they continue [to examine God’s message] and do not just hear it and then forget it, but do [what God tells them to do], God will bless them because of what they do.
26 Wenn einer meint fromm zu sein, und zügelt seine Zunge nicht, sondern betrügt sein Herz, dessen Frömmigkeit ist umsonst.
Some people think that they worship God in the right way, but they habitually say evil things [MTY]. Those people are wrong in thinking [SYN] [that they worship God rightly]. The fact is [that they] worship God (in vain/uselessly).
27 Reine Frömmigkeit, fleckenlose vor Gott dem Vater ist das: nach den Waisen und Witwen sehen in ihrer Trübsal, sich selbst frei halten vom Schmutz der Welt.
[One of the things that God has told us to do] is to take care of orphans and widows who suffer hardship. [Those who do that and] who do not think or act immorally like those who do not obey God [MTY] truly [DOU] worship God, [who is our] Father, and God approves of them.
