1 J ACOBO, siervo de Dios y del Señor Jesucristo, á las doce tribus que están esparcidas, salud.

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes scattered abroad: Greetings ( rejoice)!

2 H ermanos míos, tened por sumo gozo cuando cayereis en diversas tentaciones;

Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations.

3 S abiendo que la prueba de vuestra fe obra paciencia.

Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience.

4 M as tenga la paciencia perfecta su obra, para que seáis perfectos y cabales, sin faltar en alguna cosa.

But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be perfectly and fully developed, lacking in nothing.

5 Y si alguno de vosotros tiene falta de sabiduría, demándela á Dios, el cual da á todos abundantemente, y no zahiere; y le será dada.

If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of the giving God to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or faultfinding, and it will be given him.

6 P ero pida en fe, no dudando nada: porque el que duda es semejante á la onda de la mar, que es movida del viento, y echada de una parte á otra.

Only it must be in faith that he asks with no wavering (no hesitating, no doubting). For the one who wavers (hesitates, doubts) is like the billowing surge out at sea that is blown hither and thither and tossed by the wind.

7 N o piense pues el tal hombre que recibirá ninguna cosa del Señor.

For truly, let not such a person imagine that he will receive anything from the Lord,

8 E l hombre de doblado ánimo es inconstante en todos sus caminos.

a man of two minds (hesitating, dubious, irresolute), unstable and unreliable and uncertain about everything.

9 E l hermano que es de baja suerte, gloríese en su alteza:

Let the brother in humble circumstances glory in his elevation,

10 M as el que es rico, en su bajeza; porque él se pasará como la flor de la hierba.

And the rich in being humbled, because like the flower of the grass he will pass away.

11 P orque salido el sol con ardor, la hierba se secó, y su flor se cayó, y pereció su hermosa apariencia: así también se marchitará el rico en todos sus caminos.

For the sun comes up with a scorching heat and parches the grass; its flower falls off and its beauty fades away. Even so will the rich man wither and die in the midst of his pursuits.

12 B ienaventurado el varón que sufre la tentación; porque cuando fuere probado, recibirá la corona de vida, que Dios ha prometido á los que le aman.

Blessed (happy, to be envied) is the man who is patient under trial and stands up under temptation, for when he has stood the test and been approved, he will receive crown of life which God has promised to those who love Him.

13 C uando alguno es tentado, no diga que es tentado de Dios: porque Dios no puede ser tentado de los malos, ni él tienta á alguno:

Let no one say when he is tempted, I am tempted from God; for God is incapable of being tempted by evil and He Himself tempts no one.

14 S ino que cada uno es tentado, cuando de su propia concupiscencia es atraído, y cebado.

But every person is tempted when he is drawn away, enticed and baited by his own evil desire (lust, passions).

15 Y la concupiscencia, después que ha concebido, pare el pecado: y el pecado, siendo cumplido, engendra muerte.

Then the evil desire, when it has conceived, gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is fully matured, brings forth death.

16 A mados hermanos míos, no erréis.

Do not be misled, my beloved brethren.

17 T oda buena dádiva y todo don perfecto es de lo alto, que desciende del Padre de las luces, en el cual no hay mudanza, ni sombra de variación.

Every good gift and every perfect ( free, large, full) gift is from above; it comes down from the Father of all light, in Whom there can be no variation or shadow cast by His turning.

18 E l, de su voluntad nos ha engendrado por la palabra de verdad, para que seamos primicias de sus criaturas.

And it was of His own will that He gave us birth by Word of Truth, so that we should be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.

19 P or esto, mis amados hermanos, todo hombre sea pronto para oir, tardío para hablar, tardío para airarse:

Understand, my beloved brethren. Let every man be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to take offense and to get angry.

20 P orque la ira del hombre no obra la justicia de Dios.

For man’s anger does not promote the righteousness God.

21 P or lo cual, dejando toda inmundicia y superfluidad de malicia, recibid con mansedumbre la palabra ingerida, la cual puede hacer salvas vuestras almas.

So get rid of all uncleanness and the rampant outgrowth of wickedness, and in a humble (gentle, modest) spirit receive and welcome the Word which implanted and rooted contains the power to save your souls.

22 M as sed hacedores de la palabra, y no tan solamente oidores, engañándoos á vosotros mismos.

But be doers of the Word, and not merely listeners to it, betraying yourselves.

23 P orque si alguno oye la palabra, y no la pone por obra, este tal es semejante al hombre que considera en un espejo su rostro natural.

For if anyone only listens to the Word without obeying it and being a doer of it, he is like a man who looks carefully at his natural face in a mirror;

24 P orque él se consideró á sí mismo, y se fué, y luego se olvidó qué tal era.

For he thoughtfully observes himself, and then goes off and promptly forgets what he was like.

25 M as el que hubiere mirado atentamente en la perfecta ley, que es la de la libertad, y perseverado en ella, no siendo oidor olvidadizo, sino hacedor de la obra, este tal será bienaventurado en su hecho.

But he who looks carefully into the faultless law, the of liberty, and is faithful to it and perseveres in looking into it, being not a heedless listener who forgets but an active doer, he shall be blessed in his doing (his life of obedience).

26 S i alguno piensa ser religioso entre vosotros, y no refrena su lengua, sino engañando su corazón, la religión del tal es vana.

If anyone thinks himself to be religious (piously observant of the external duties of his faith) and does not bridle his tongue but deludes his own heart, this person’s religious service is worthless (futile, barren).

27 L a religión pura y sin mácula delante de Dios y Padre es esta: Visitar los huérfanos y las viudas en sus tribulaciones, y guardarse sin mancha de este mundo.

External religious worship '> religion as it is expressed in outward acts] that is pure and unblemished in the sight of God the Father is this: to visit and help and care for the orphans and widows in their affliction and need, and to keep oneself unspotted and uncontaminated from the world.