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

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are of the Dispersion, greeting.

2 C ount it all joy, my brothers, when you fall into various temptations,

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

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

Knowing that the proving of your faith worketh patience.

4 L et endurance have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

And let patience have its perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, lacking in nothing.

5 B ut 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.

But if any of you lacketh wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all liberally and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

6 B ut 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.

But let him ask in faith, nothing doubting: for he that doubteth is like the surge of the sea driven by the wind and tossed.

7 F or let that man not think that he will receive anything from the Lord.

For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord;

8 H e is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

a doubleminded man, unstable in all his ways.

9 B ut let the brother in humble circumstances glory in his high position;

But let the brother of low degree glory in his high estate:

10 a nd the rich, in that he is made humble, because like the flower in the grass, he will pass away.

and the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.

11 F or 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.

For the sun ariseth with the scorching wind, and withereth the grass: and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away 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 promised to those who love him.

Blessed is the man that endureth temptation; for when he hath been approved, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord promised to them that love him.

13 L et 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.

Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God; for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempteth no man:

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

but each man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed.

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

Then the lust, when it hath conceived, beareth sin: and the sin, when it is fullgrown, bringeth forth death.

16 D on’t be deceived, my beloved brothers.

Be not deceived, my beloved brethren.

17 E very 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.

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, neither shadow that is cast by turning.

18 O f 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.

Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

19 S o, then, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger;

Ye know this, my beloved brethren. But let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:

20 f or the anger of man doesn’t produce the righteousness of God.

for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

21 T herefore, putting away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness, receive with humility the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

Wherefore putting away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness, receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

22 B ut be doers of the word, and not only hearers, deluding your own selves.

But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deluding your own selves.

23 F or 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;

For if any one is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a mirror:

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

for he beholdeth himself, and goeth away, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.

25 B ut 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.

But he that looketh into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and so continueth, being not a hearer that forgetteth but a doer that worketh, this man shall be blessed in his doing.

26 I f 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.

If any man thinketh himself to be religious, while he bridleth not his tongue but deceiveth his heart, this man's religion is vain.

27 P ure 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.

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