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, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are in the Dispersion: Greetings.

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

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you fall into various temptations,

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

knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

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

Let endurance have its perfect work, that you 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 of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach; and it will 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, without any doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven by the wind and tossed.

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

For let that man not think that he will receive anything from the Lord.

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

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

9 L et the lowly brother glory in his exaltation,

But let the brother in humble circumstances glory in his high position;

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

and the rich, in that he is made humble, because like the flower in the grass, 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 arises with the scorching wind, and withers the grass, and the flower in it falls, and the beauty of its appearance perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in his pursuits.

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 is the man who endures temptation, for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord promised to those who 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 say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God,” for God can’t be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one.

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

But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed.

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

Then the lust, when it has conceived, bears sin; and the sin, when it is full grown, produces death.

16 D o not be deceived, my beloved brethren.

Don’t be deceived, my beloved brothers.

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 is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, nor turning shadow.

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

Of his own will he gave birth to us by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of 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, then, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger;

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

for the anger of man doesn’t produce the righteousness of God.

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.

Therefore, putting away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness, receive with humility 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 doers of the word, and not only hearers, deluding your own selves.

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 anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man looking at 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 sees himself, and goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.

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 who looks into the perfect law of freedom, and continues, not being a hearer who forgets, but a doer of the work, this man will be blessed in what he does.

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 anyone among you thinks himself to be religious while he doesn’t bridle his tongue, but deceives his heart, this man’s religion is worthless.

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 religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.