1 S antiago (Jacobo), siervo de Dios y del Señor Jesucristo: A las doce tribus que están en la dispersión: Saludos. Fe y Sabiduría

This letter is from James. I am a servant owned by God and the Lord Jesus Christ. I greet the twelve family groups of the Jewish nation living in many parts of the world. Take Hope When Tests Come

2 T engan por sumo gozo, hermanos míos, cuando se hallen en diversas pruebas (tentaciones),

My Christian brothers, you should be happy when you have all kinds of tests.

3 s abiendo que la prueba de su fe produce paciencia (perseverancia),

You know these prove your faith. It helps you not to give up.

4 y que la paciencia tenga su perfecto resultado, para que sean perfectos y completos, sin que nada les falte.

Learn well how to wait so you will be strong and complete and in need of nothing.

5 Y si a alguno de ustedes le falta sabiduría, que se la pida a Dios, quien da a todos abundantemente y sin reproche, y le será dada.

If you do not have wisdom, ask God for it. He is always ready to give it to you and will never say you are wrong for asking.

6 P ero que pida con fe, sin dudar. Porque el que duda es semejante a la ola del mar, impulsada por el viento y echada de una parte a otra.

You must have faith as you ask Him. You must not doubt. Anyone who doubts is like a wave which is pushed around by the sea.

7 N o piense, pues, ese hombre, que recibirá cosa alguna del Señor,

Such a man will get nothing from the Lord.

8 s iendo hombre de doble ánimo (que duda), inestable en todos sus caminos. Lo Transitorio de las Riquezas

The man who has two ways of thinking changes in everything he does.

9 P ero que el hermano de condición humilde se gloríe en su alta posición,

A Christian brother who has few riches of this world should be happy for what he has. He is great in the eyes of God.

10 y el rico en su humillación, pues él pasará como la flor de la hierba.

But a rich man should be happy even if he loses everything. He is like a flower that will die.

11 P orque el sol sale con calor abrasador y seca la hierba, y su flor se cae y la hermosura de su apariencia perece. Así también se marchitará el rico en medio de sus empresas. La Tentación Explicada

The sun comes up with burning heat. The grass dries up and the flower falls off. It is no longer beautiful. The rich man will die also and all his riches will be gone.

12 B ienaventurado el hombre que persevera bajo la prueba, porque una vez que ha sido aprobado (ha pasado la prueba), recibirá la corona de la vida que el Señor ha prometido a los que Lo aman.

The man who does not give up when tests come is happy. After the test is over, he will receive the crown of life. God has promised this to those who love Him. God Does Not Tempt Us

13 Q ue nadie diga cuando es tentado: “Soy tentado por Dios.” Porque Dios no puede ser tentado por el mal y El mismo no tienta a nadie.

When you are tempted to do wrong, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God cannot be tempted. He will never tempt anyone.

14 S ino que cada uno es tentado cuando es llevado y seducido por su propia pasión.

A man is tempted to do wrong when he lets himself be led by what his bad thoughts tell him to do.

15 D espués, cuando la pasión ha concebido, da a luz el pecado; y cuando el pecado es consumado, engendra la muerte.

When he does what his bad thoughts tell him to do, he sins. When sin completes its work, it brings death.

16 A mados hermanos míos, no se engañen.

My Christian brothers, do not be fooled about this.

17 T oda buena dádiva y todo don perfecto viene de lo alto, desciende del Padre de las luces, con el cual no hay cambio ni sombra de variación.

Whatever is good and perfect comes to us from God. He is the One Who made all light. He does not change. No shadow is made by His turning.

18 E n el ejercicio de Su voluntad, El nos hizo nacer por la palabra de verdad, para que fuéramos las primicias de sus criaturas. Hacedores de la Palabra

He gave us our new lives through the truth of His Word only because He wanted to. We are the first children in His family.

19 E sto lo saben, mis amados hermanos. Pero que cada uno sea pronto para oír, tardo para hablar, tardo para la ira;

My Christian brothers, you know everyone should listen much and speak little. He should be slow to become angry.

20 p ues la ira del hombre no obra la justicia de Dios.

A man’s anger does not allow him to be right with God.

21 P or lo cual, desechando toda inmundicia y todo resto de malicia, reciban ustedes con humildad (mansedumbre) la palabra implantada, que es poderosa para salvar sus almas.

Put out of your life all that is unclean and wrong. Receive with a gentle spirit the Word that was taught. It has the power to save your souls from the punishment of sin.

22 S ean hacedores de la palabra y no solamente oidores que se engañan a sí mismos.

Obey the Word of God. If you hear only and do not act, you are only fooling yourself.

23 P orque si alguien es oidor de la palabra, y no hacedor, es semejante a un hombre que mira su rostro natural en un espejo;

Anyone who hears the Word of God and does not obey is like a man looking at his face in a mirror.

24 p ues después de mirarse a sí mismo e irse, inmediatamente se olvida de qué clase de persona es.

After he sees himself and goes away, he forgets what he looks like.

25 P ero el que mira atentamente a la ley perfecta, la ley de la libertad, y permanece en ella, no habiéndose vuelto un oidor olvidadizo sino un hacedor eficaz, éste será bienaventurado en lo que hace.

But the one who keeps looking into God’s perfect Law and does not forget it will do what it says and be happy as he does it. God’s Word makes men free.

26 S i alguien se cree religioso, pero no refrena su lengua, sino que engaña a su propio corazón, la religión del tal es vana.

If a person thinks he is religious, but does not keep his tongue from speaking bad things, he is fooling himself. His religion is worth nothing.

27 L a religión pura y sin mancha delante de nuestro Dios y Padre es ésta: visitar a los huérfanos y a las viudas en sus aflicciones, y guardarse sin mancha del mundo.

Religion that is pure and good before God the Father is to help children who have no parents and to care for women whose husbands have died who have troubles. Pure religion is also to keep yourself clean from the sinful things of the world.