JAMES 1
1 James, a slave of God and the Lord Jesus Christ. To the twelve tribes – those in the Dispersion – greetings!
2 My brothers, consider it all joy whenever you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the scrutinizing of your faith produces endurance. 4 So let endurance complete its work so that you all may be mature and whole, lacking nothing. 5 But if any of you is lacking wisdom he needs to humbly ask for it from God, the one who gives to everyone genuinely and without rebuke, and it will be given to him. 6 Nonetheless he needs to ask in faith, not doubting, because the one who doubts is like the surf on the ocean being driven by the wind and blown around. 7 Indeed, that man should not think that he will receive anything from the Lord 8 – a man with divided loyalties is unsettled in all of his ways. 9 Still, the lowly brother needs to boast in his loftiness, 10 but the rich in his lowliness, because he will pass away like a flower in the pasture. 11 For the sun rises with scorching heat and dries up the pasture such that its flower falls off and its beautiful appearance is ruined. In the same way the one rich in his means will fade away.
12 Blessed is a man who endures testing, because he will receive the crown of life promised to those who love him. 13 No one being tempted ought to say, “I am being tempted by God,” because God is not tempted by evils, and he himself tempts no one. 14 Instead, each one is tempted when by his own lust he is seduced and dragged away. 15 Then lust, having conceived, gives birth to sin, and sin, upon being fully matured, breeds death. 16 Don’t be led astray, my dearly loved brothers! 17 All good giving, and every perfected gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of Lights, in whom is no variation or ‘orbital shadow’. 18 He purposefully gave us birth through the word of truth so that we would be, in a sense, the first fruits of all he created.
19 Really get this, my dear brothers!
Yes, let every man be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger… 20 for man’s anger doesn’t produce God’s righteousness. 21 Therefore put aside all filthiness and overflowing wickedness – in meekness receive the implanted word, which is able to save your souls – 22 instead be doers of the word and not just hearers. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, this person is like a man who studies his natural face in a mirror. 24 You see, he studies himself then off he goes and immediately forgets what he was like. 25 But the one who investigates the perfect law, the law of freedom, and continues there does not become a hearer who forgets but a doer who acts – this one will be blessed in what he does. 26 If anyone thinks he is religious whilst not keeping a tight rein on his tongue but deluding his heart, his religion is empty. 27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their suffering, keeping oneself from the world, unstained.
2 My brothers, consider it all joy whenever you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the scrutinizing of your faith produces endurance. 4 So let endurance complete its work so that you all may be mature and whole, lacking nothing. 5 But if any of you is lacking wisdom he needs to humbly ask for it from God, the one who gives to everyone genuinely and without rebuke, and it will be given to him. 6 Nonetheless he needs to ask in faith, not doubting, because the one who doubts is like the surf on the ocean being driven by the wind and blown around. 7 Indeed, that man should not think that he will receive anything from the Lord 8 – a man with divided loyalties is unsettled in all of his ways. 9 Still, the lowly brother needs to boast in his loftiness, 10 but the rich in his lowliness, because he will pass away like a flower in the pasture. 11 For the sun rises with scorching heat and dries up the pasture such that its flower falls off and its beautiful appearance is ruined. In the same way the one rich in his means will fade away.
12 Blessed is a man who endures testing, because he will receive the crown of life promised to those who love him. 13 No one being tempted ought to say, “I am being tempted by God,” because God is not tempted by evils, and he himself tempts no one. 14 Instead, each one is tempted when by his own lust he is seduced and dragged away. 15 Then lust, having conceived, gives birth to sin, and sin, upon being fully matured, breeds death. 16 Don’t be led astray, my dearly loved brothers! 17 All good giving, and every perfected gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of Lights, in whom is no variation or ‘orbital shadow’. 18 He purposefully gave us birth through the word of truth so that we would be, in a sense, the first fruits of all he created.
19 Really get this, my dear brothers!
Yes, let every man be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger… 20 for man’s anger doesn’t produce God’s righteousness. 21 Therefore put aside all filthiness and overflowing wickedness – in meekness receive the implanted word, which is able to save your souls – 22 instead be doers of the word and not just hearers. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, this person is like a man who studies his natural face in a mirror. 24 You see, he studies himself then off he goes and immediately forgets what he was like. 25 But the one who investigates the perfect law, the law of freedom, and continues there does not become a hearer who forgets but a doer who acts – this one will be blessed in what he does. 26 If anyone thinks he is religious whilst not keeping a tight rein on his tongue but deluding his heart, his religion is empty. 27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their suffering, keeping oneself from the world, unstained.