1 ¶ James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus, the Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.

James, of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ a servant, to the Twelve Tribes who are in the dispersion: Hail!

2 ¶ My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into diverse trials,

All joy count, my brethren, when ye may fall into temptations manifold;

3 k nowing that the proving of your faith works patience,

knowing that the proof of your faith doth work endurance,

4 a nd the patience finishes the work, that ye may be perfect and entire, not lacking in anything.

and let the endurance have a perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire -- in nothing lacking;

5 A nd if any of you lacks wisdom, let them ask of God (who gives abundantly to all, and without reproach), and it shall be given them.

and if any of you do lack wisdom, let him ask from God, who is giving to all liberally, and not reproaching, and it shall be given to him;

6 B ut ask in faith, not doubting anything. For he that doubts is like the wave of the sea which is driven of the wind and is tossed from one side to another.

and let him ask in faith, nothing doubting, for he who is doubting hath been like a wave of the sea, driven by wind and tossed,

7 F or let not such a man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord.

for let not that man suppose that he shall receive anything from the Lord --

8 T he double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

a two-souled man unstable in all his ways.

9 L et the brother of low degree rejoice in his high status;

And let the brother who is low rejoice in his exaltation,

10 a nd he who is rich, in his low status, because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.

and the rich in his becoming low, because as a flower of grass he shall pass away;

11 F or the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withers the grass, and its flower falls, and the beautiful appearance of it perishes: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.

for the sun did rise with the burning heat, and did wither the grass, and the flower of it fell, and the grace of its appearance did perish, so also the rich in his way shall fade away!

12 B lessed is the man that patiently endures temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those that love him.

Happy the man who doth endure temptation, because, becoming approved, he shall receive the crown of the life, which the Lord did promise to those loving Him.

13 ¶ Let no one say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God; for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither does he tempt anyone:

Let no one say, being tempted -- `From God I am tempted,' for God is not tempted of evil, and Himself doth tempt no one,

14 B ut each one is tempted, when they are drawn away of their own lust and enticed.

and each one is tempted, by his own desires being led away and enticed,

15 T hen when lust has conceived, it brings forth sin; and sin, when it is finished, brings forth death.

afterward the desire having conceived, doth give birth to sin, and the sin having been perfected, doth bring forth death.

16 D o not err, my beloved brethren.

Be not led astray, my brethren beloved;

17 E very good gift and every perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness neither shadow of turning.

every good giving, and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the lights, with whom is no variation, or shadow of turning;

18 H e, of his own will, has begotten us with the word of truth, that we should be the firstfruits of his creatures.

having counselled, He did beget us with a word of truth, for our being a certain first-fruit of His creatures.

19 ¶ Therefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath;

So then, my brethren beloved, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger,

20 f or the wrath of man does not work the righteousness of God.

for the wrath of a man the righteousness of God doth not work;

21 S o then, leave all uncleanness and remains of malice and receive with meekness the word ingested within you, which is able to cause your souls to be saved.

wherefore having put aside all filthiness and superabundance of evil, in meekness be receiving the engrafted word, that is able to save your souls;

22 B ut be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

and become ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves,

23 F or if anyone hears the word and does not put it into practice, this same is like unto the man beholding his natural face in a mirror:

because, if any one is a hearer of the word and not a doer, this one hath been like to a man viewing his natural face in a mirror,

24 F or he considered himself and went his way and in one hour forgot what he was like.

for he did view himself, and hath gone away, and immediately he did forget of what kind he was;

25 B ut whosoever has looked attentively into the perfect law of liberty and has persevered in it, not being a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, the same shall be blessed in their deed.

and he who did look into the perfect law -- that of liberty, and did continue there, this one -- not a forgetful hearer becoming, but a doer of work -- this one shall be happy in his doing.

26 I f anyone among you thinks to be religious and does not bridle his tongue, but deceives his own heart, his religion is vain.

If any one doth think to be religious among you, not bridling his tongue, but deceiving his heart, of this one vain the religion;

27 T he pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their tribulation and to keep thyself unspotted from this world.

religion pure and undefiled with the God and Father is this, to look after orphans and widows in their tribulation -- unspotted to keep himself from the world.