Ιακωβου 1
1 ιακωβος θεου και κυριου ιησου χριστου δουλος ταις δωδεκα φυλαις ταις εν τη διασπορα χαιρειν
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, greets the twelve tribes that are living abroad.
2 πασαν χαραν ηγησασθε αδελφοι μου οταν πειρασμοις περιπεσητε ποικιλοις
My friends, whatever trials you may face from time to time, always regard them as a reason for rejoicing,
3 γινωσκοντες οτι το δοκιμιον υμων της πιστεως κατεργαζεται υπομονην
knowing, as you do, that the testing of your faith develops endurance.
4 η δε υπομονη εργον τελειον εχετω ινα ητε τελειοι και ολοκληροι εν μηδενι λειπομενοι
And let endurance do its work perfectly, so that you may be altogether perfect, and in no respect lacking.
5 ει δε τις υμων λειπεται σοφιας αιτειτω παρα του διδοντος θεου πασιν απλως και ουκ ονειδιζοντος και δοθησεται αυτω
If any one of you lacks wisdom, they should ask wisdom from the God who gives freely to everyone without reproach, and it will be given to them.
6 αιτειτω δε εν πιστει μηδεν διακρινομενος ο γαρ διακρινομενος εοικεν κλυδωνι θαλασσης ανεμιζομενω και ριπιζομενω
But they should ask with confidence, never doubting; for the person who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven here and there at the mercy of the wind –
7 μη γαρ οιεσθω ο ανθρωπος εκεινος οτι ληψεται τι παρα του κυριου
Such a person must not expect that they will receive anything from the Lord,
8 ανηρ διψυχος ακαταστατος εν πασαις ταις οδοις αυτου
vacillating as they are, irresolute at every turn.
9 καυχασθω δε ο αδελφος ο ταπεινος εν τω υψει αυτου
Let a follower in humble circumstances be proud of their exalted position,
10 ο δε πλουσιος εν τη ταπεινωσει αυτου οτι ως ανθος χορτου παρελευσεται
but a rich follower of their humiliation; for the rich will pass away like a wild flower.
11 ανετειλεν γαρ ο ηλιος συν τω καυσωνι και εξηρανεν τον χορτον και το ανθος αυτου εξεπεσεν και η ευπρεπεια του προσωπου αυτου απωλετο ουτως και ο πλουσιος εν ταις πορειαις αυτου μαρανθησεται
As the sun rises, and the hot wind blows, the plant withers, its flower fades, and all its beauty is gone. So is it with the rich. In the midst of their pursuits they will wither away.
12 μακαριος ανηρ ος υπομενει πειρασμον οτι δοκιμος γενομενος ληψεται τον στεφανον της ζωης ον επηγγειλατο ο κυριος τοις αγαπωσιν αυτον
Blessed is the person who remains firm under temptation, for, when they have stood the test, they will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love him.
13 μηδεις πειραζομενος λεγετω οτι απο θεου πειραζομαι ο γαρ θεος απειραστος εστιν κακων πειραζει δε αυτος ουδενα
Let no one say, when they are tempted, ‘It is God who is tempting me!’ For God, who cannot be tempted to do wrong, does not himself tempt anyone.
14 εκαστος δε πειραζεται υπο της ιδιας επιθυμιας εξελκομενος και δελεαζομενος
A man is in every case tempted by their own passions – allured and enticed by them.
15 ειτα η επιθυμια συλλαβουσα τικτει αμαρτιαν η δε αμαρτια αποτελεσθεισα αποκυει θανατον
Then passion conceives and gives birth to sin, and sin, on reaching maturity, brings forth death.
16 μη πλανασθε αδελφοι μου αγαπητοι
Do not be deceived, my dear friends.
17 πασα δοσις αγαθη και παν δωρημα τελειον ανωθεν εστιν καταβαινον απο του πατρος των φωτων παρ ω ουκ ενι παραλλαγη η τροπης αποσκιασμα
Every good thing given us, and every perfect gift, is from above, and comes down to us from the Father of the lights in the heavens, who is himself never subject to change or to eclipse.
18 βουληθεις απεκυησεν ημας λογω αληθειας εις το ειναι ημας απαρχην τινα των αυτου κτισματων
Because he so willed, he gave us life, through the message of the truth, so that we should be, as it were, a kind of first fruits of his creation.
19 ωστε αδελφοι μου αγαπητοι εστω πας ανθρωπος ταχυς εις το ακουσαι βραδυς εις το λαλησαι βραδυς εις οργην
Mark this, my dear friends – Let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry;
20 οργη γαρ ανδρος δικαιοσυνην θεου ου κατεργαζεται
for human anger does not forward the righteous purpose of God.
21 διο αποθεμενοι πασαν ρυπαριαν και περισσειαν κακιας εν πραυτητι δεξασθε τον εμφυτον λογον τον δυναμενον σωσαι τας ψυχας υμων
Therefore, get rid of all filthiness and whatever wickedness still remains, and in a humble spirit receive that message which has been planted in your hearts and is able to save your souls.
22 γινεσθε δε ποιηται λογου και μη μονον ακροαται παραλογιζομενοι εαυτους
Put that message into practice, and do not merely listen to it – deceiving yourselves.
23 οτι ει τις ακροατης λογου εστιν και ου ποιητης ουτος εοικεν ανδρι κατανοουντι το προσωπον της γενεσεως αυτου εν εσοπτρω
For, when anyone listens to it and does not practice it, they are like a person looking at their own face in a mirror.
24 κατενοησεν γαρ εαυτον και απεληλυθεν και ευθεως επελαθετο οποιος ην
They look at themselves, then go on their way,
25 ο δε παρακυψας εις νομον τελειον τον της ελευθεριας και παραμεινας ουτος ουκ ακροατης επιλησμονης γενομενος αλλα ποιητης εργου ουτος μακαριος εν τη ποιησει αυτου εσται
but the person who looks carefully into the perfect Law, the Law of freedom, and continues to do so, not listening to it and then forgetting it, but putting it into practice – that person will be blessed in what they do.
26 ει τις δοκει θρησκος ειναι εν υμιν μη χαλιναγωγων γλωσσαν αυτου αλλα απατων καρδιαν αυτου τουτου ματαιος η θρησκεια
When a person appears to be religious, yet does not bridle their tongue, but imposes on their own conscience, that person’s religious observances are valueless.
27 θρησκεια καθαρα και αμιαντος παρα θεω και πατρι αυτη εστιν επισκεπτεσθαι ορφανους και χηρας εν τη θλιψει αυτων ασπιλον εαυτον τηρειν απο του κοσμου
That religious observance which is pure and spotless in the eyes of God our Father is this – to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself uncontaminated by the world.
