Jakobus 1
1 Jakobus, Knecht Gottes und des Herrn Jesus Christus, grüßt die zwölf Stämme, die in der Zerstreuung sind!
[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 Meine Brüder, achtet es für lauter Freude, wenn ihr in mancherlei Anfechtungen geratet,
My fellow believers, rejoice greatly, [even] when you experience various kinds of difficulties/troubles.
3 da ihr ja wisset, daß die Bewährung eures Glaubens Geduld 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 Geduld aber soll ein vollkommenes Werk haben, damit ihr vollkommen und ganz seiet und es euch an nichts mangle.
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 jemandem unter euch Weisheit mangelt, so erbitte er sie von Gott, der allen gern und ohne Vorwurf gibt, so wird sie 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 zweifle nicht; denn wer zweifelt, gleicht der Meereswoge, die vom Winde 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 denke 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 geteiltem Herzen ist 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 Der Bruder aber, welcher niedrig gestellt ist, soll sich seiner Hoheit rühmen,
Believers who are poor should be happy [that God] considers them very valuable (OR, has exalted them [spiritually]) [MTY].
10 der Reiche dagegen seiner Niedrigkeit; denn wie eine Blume des Grases wird er vergehen.
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 kaum ist die Sonne mit ihrer Hitze aufgegangen, so verdorrt das Gras, und seine Blume fällt ab, und seine schöne Gestalt vergeht; so wird auch der Reiche in 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 ist der Mann, der die Anfechtung erduldet; denn nachdem er sich bewährt hat, wird er die Krone des Lebens empfangen, welche Gott denen verheißen hat, 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 versucht. Denn Gott ist unangefochten vom Bösen; er selbst versucht aber auch niemand.
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 Sondern ein jeder wird versucht, wenn er von seiner eigenen Lust gereizt 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 Darnach, wenn die Lust empfangen hat, gebiert sie die Sünde; die Sünde aber, wenn sie vollendet ist, gebiert den 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 Irret euch nicht, meine lieben Brüder:
My fellow believers whom I love, stop deceiving yourselves, [thinking that God does evil things].
17 Jede gute Gabe und jedes vollkommene Geschenk kommt von oben herab, von dem Vater der Lichter, bei welchem keine Veränderung ist, noch ein Schatten infolge von Wechsel.
[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 Nach seinem Willen hat er uns erzeugt durch das Wort der Wahrheit, damit wir gleichsam Erstlinge seiner Geschöpfe seien.
[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 Darum, meine geliebten Brüder, sei jeder Mensch schnell zum Hören, langsam aber zum Reden, langsam zum Zorn;
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 des Menschen 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 Vorrat von Bosheit ab und nehmet mit Sanftmut das [euch] eingepflanzte Wort auf, welches eure Seelen retten 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 Seid aber Täter des Wortes und nicht Hörer allein, womit ihr euch selbst betrügen würdet.
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 wer [nur] Hörer des Wortes ist und nicht Täter, der gleicht einem Manne, der sein natürliches Angesicht im Spiegel beschaut;
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 betrachtet sich und läuft davon und hat bald vergessen, wie er gestaltet war.
Although he looks at himself, he goes away [from the mirror] and immediately forgets what he looks like.
25 Wer aber hineinschaut in das vollkommene Gesetz der Freiheit und dabei bleibt, nicht als vergeßlicher Hörer, sondern als wirklicher Täter, der wird selig sein in seinem Tun.
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 jemand fromm zu sein meint, seine Zunge aber nicht im Zaum hält, sondern sein Herz betrügt, dessen Frömmigkeit ist wertlos.
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 und makellose Frömmigkeit vor Gott dem Vater ist es, Waisen und Witwen in ihrer Trübsal zu besuchen und sich von der Welt unbefleckt zu erhalten.
[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.
