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

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

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

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

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

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

Learn well how to wait so you will be strong and complete and in need of 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 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 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.

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 el tal hombre que recibirá ninguna cosa del Señor.

Such a man will get nothing from the Lord.

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

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

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

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 M as el que es rico, en su bajeza; porque él se 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 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.

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 varón que sufre la tentación; porque cuando fuere probado, recibirá la corona de vida, que Dios ha prometido á los que le 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 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:

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 de su propia concupiscencia es atraído, y cebado.

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

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

My Christian brothers, do not be fooled about this.

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.

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

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

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

20 P orque 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, dejando toda inmundicia y superfluidad de malicia, recibid con mansedumbre la palabra ingerida, la cual puede hacer salvas vuestras 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 M as sed hacedores de la palabra, y no tan solamente oidores, engañándoos á vosotros mismos.

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

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.

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

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

After he sees himself and goes away, he forgets what he looks 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 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 alguno piensa ser religioso entre vosotros, y no refrena su lengua, sino engañando su 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 mácula delante de Dios y Padre es esta: Visitar los huérfanos y las viudas en sus tribulaciones, y guardarse sin mancha de este 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.