1 J ames, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad: Greetings. Profiting from Trials

James, bondman of God and of Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which in the dispersion, greeting.

2 M y brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,

Count it all joy, my brethren, when ye fall into various temptations,

3 k nowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.

knowing that the proving of your faith works endurance.

4 B ut let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

But let endurance have perfect work, that ye may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

5 I f any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

But if any one of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all freely and reproaches not, and it shall be given to him:

6 B ut let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.

but let him ask in faith, nothing doubting. For he that doubts is like a wave of the sea driven by the wind and tossed about;

7 F or let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;

for let not that man think that he shall receive anything from the Lord;

8 h e is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. The Perspective of Rich and Poor

a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

9 L et the lowly brother glory in his exaltation,

But let the brother of low degree glory in his elevation,

10 b ut the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away.

and the rich in his humiliation, because as grass's flower he will pass away.

11 F or no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits. Loving God Under Trials

For the sun has risen with its burning heat, and has withered the grass, and its flower has fallen, and the comeliness of its look has perished: thus the rich also shall wither in his goings.

12 B lessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

Blessed man who endures temptation; for, having been proved, he shall receive the crown of life, which He has promised to them that love him.

13 L et no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.

Let no man, being tempted, say, I am tempted of God. For God cannot be tempted by evil things, and himself tempts no one.

14 B ut each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.

But every one is tempted, drawn away, and enticed by his own lust;

15 T hen, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.

then lust, having conceived, gives birth to sin; but sin fully completed brings forth death.

16 D o not be deceived, my beloved brethren.

Do not err, my beloved brethren.

17 E very good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.

Every good gift and every perfect gift comes down from above, from the Father of lights, with whom is no variation nor shadow of turning.

18 O f His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures. Qualities Needed in Trials

According to his own will begat he us by the word of truth, that we should be a certain first-fruits of his creatures.

19 S o then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath;

So that, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath;

20 f or the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Doers—Not Hearers Only

for man's wrath does not work God's righteousness.

21 T herefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

Wherefore, laying aside all filthiness and abounding of wickedness, accept with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

22 B ut be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

But be ye doers of word and not hearers only, beguiling yourselves.

23 F or if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror;

For if any man be a hearer of word and not a doer, he is like to a man considering his natural face in a mirror:

24 f or he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.

for he has considered himself and is gone away, and straightway he has forgotten what he was like.

25 B ut he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

But he that fixes his view on perfect law, that of liberty, and abides in, being not a forgetful hearer but a doer of work, he shall be blessed in his doing.

26 I f anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless.

If any one think himself to be religious, not bridling his tongue, but deceiving his heart, this man's religion is vain.

27 P ure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, to keep oneself unspotted from the world.