Santiago 1
1 Santiago, siervo de Dios y del Señor Jesucristo, a las doce tribus que están en la Dispersión: Saludos.
[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 Hermanos míos, estad contentos cuando caigáis en diversas tentaciones,
My fellow believers, rejoice greatly, [even] when you experience various kinds of difficulties/troubles.
3 sabiendo que la prueba de vuestra fe produce resistencia.
[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 Dejad que la resistencia tenga su obra perfecta, para que seáis perfectos y completos, sin que os falte nada.
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 Pero si a alguno de vosotros le falta sabiduría, pídala a Dios, que da a todos con liberalidad y sin reproche, y le será concedida.
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 Pero que pida con fe, sin dudar, porque el que duda es como la ola del mar, impulsada por el viento y zarandeada.
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 Porque ese hombre no debe pensar que recibirá algo del Señor.
Indeed, people [who doubt] should not think that the Lord [God] will do anything [that they request him to do],
8 Es un hombre de doble ánimo, inestable en todos sus caminos.
[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 Que el hermano de condición humilde se gloríe en su alta posición;
Believers who are poor should be happy [that God] considers them very valuable (OR, has exalted them [spiritually]) [MTY].
10 y el rico, en que se haga humilde, porque como la flor de la hierba, pasará.
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 Porque el sol se levanta con el viento abrasador y marchita la hierba; y la flor en ella cae, y la belleza de su aspecto perece. Así también el rico se desvanecerá en sus afanes.
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 Bienaventurado el que soporta la tentación, porque cuando haya sido aprobado, recibirá la corona de la vida que el Señor prometió a los que le aman.
[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 Que nadie diga cuando es tentado: “Soy tentado por Dios”, porque Dios no puede ser tentado por el mal, y él mismo no tienta a nadie.
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 Pero cada uno es tentado cuando es atraído por su propia concupiscencia y seducido.
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 Entonces la concupiscencia, cuando ha concebido, engendra el pecado. El pecado, cuando ha crecido, produce la muerte.
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 No se dejen engañar, mis amados hermanos.
My fellow believers whom I love, stop deceiving yourselves, [thinking that God does evil things].
17 Toda buena dádiva y todo don perfecto viene de lo alto, del Padre de las luces, con quien no puede haber variación ni sombra que se convierta.
[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 De su propia voluntad nos hizo nacer por la palabra de la verdad, para que seamos una especie de primicias de sus criaturas.
[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 Así que, mis amados hermanos, todo hombre sea pronto para oír, lento para hablar y lento para la ira;
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 porque la ira del hombre no produce la justicia de Dios.
because when any one [of you gets] angry, you will not be doing the righteous things that God [wants] you [to do].
21 Por tanto, desechando toda inmundicia y desbordamiento de maldad, recibid con humildad la palabra implantada, que puede salvar vuestras almas.
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 Pero sed hacedores de la palabra, y no sólo oidores, engañándoos a vosotros mismos.
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 Porque si alguno es oidor de la palabra y no hacedor, es como un hombre que mira su rostro natural en un espejo;
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 porque se ve a sí mismo, y se va, y enseguida se olvida de la clase de hombre que era.
Although he looks at himself, he goes away [from the mirror] and immediately forgets what he looks like.
25 Pero el que mira la ley perfecta de la libertad y continúa, no siendo un oidor que olvida, sino un hacedor de la obra, éste será bendecido en lo que hace.
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 Si alguno de vosotros se cree religioso mientras no refrena su lengua, sino que engaña a su corazón, la religión de ese hombre no vale nada.
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 La religión pura y sin mácula ante nuestro Dios y Padre es ésta: visitar a los huérfanos y a las viudas en su aflicción, y mantenerse sin mancha del mundo.
[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.
