1 J ames, of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ a servant, to the Twelve Tribes who are in the dispersion: Hail!

¶ James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus, the Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.

2 A ll joy count, my brethren, when ye may fall into temptations manifold;

¶ My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into diverse trials,

3 k nowing that the proof of your faith doth work endurance,

knowing that the proving of your faith works patience,

4 a nd let the endurance have a perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire -- in nothing lacking;

and the patience finishes the work, that ye may be perfect and entire, not lacking in anything.

5 a nd if any of you do lack wisdom, let him ask from God, who is giving to all liberally, and not reproaching, and it shall be given to him;

And if any of you lacks wisdom, let them ask of God (who gives abundantly to all, and without reproach), and it shall be given them.

6 a nd let him ask in faith, nothing doubting, for he who is doubting hath been like a wave of the sea, driven by wind and tossed,

But ask in faith, not doubting anything. For he that doubts is like the wave of the sea which is driven of the wind and is tossed from one side to another.

7 f or let not that man suppose that he shall receive anything from the Lord --

For let not such a man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord.

8 a two-souled man unstable in all his ways.

The double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

9 A nd let the brother who is low rejoice in his exaltation,

Let the brother of low degree rejoice in his high status;

10 a nd the rich in his becoming low, because as a flower of grass he shall pass away;

and he who is rich, in his low status, because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.

11 f or the sun did rise with the burning heat, and did wither the grass, and the flower of it fell, and the grace of its appearance did perish, so also the rich in his way shall fade away!

For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withers the grass, and its flower falls, and the beautiful appearance of it perishes: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.

12 H appy the man who doth endure temptation, because, becoming approved, he shall receive the crown of the life, which the Lord did promise to those loving Him.

Blessed is the man that patiently endures temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those that love him.

13 L et no one say, being tempted -- `From God I am tempted,' for God is not tempted of evil, and Himself doth tempt no one,

¶ Let no one say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God; for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither does he tempt anyone:

14 a nd each one is tempted, by his own desires being led away and enticed,

But each one is tempted, when they are drawn away of their own lust and enticed.

15 a fterward the desire having conceived, doth give birth to sin, and the sin having been perfected, doth bring forth death.

Then when lust has conceived, it brings forth sin; and sin, when it is finished, brings forth death.

16 B e not led astray, my brethren beloved;

Do not err, my beloved brethren.

17 e very good giving, and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the lights, with whom is no variation, or shadow of turning;

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness neither shadow of turning.

18 h aving counselled, He did beget us with a word of truth, for our being a certain first-fruit of His creatures.

He, of his own will, has begotten us with the word of truth, that we should be the firstfruits of his creatures.

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

¶ Therefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath;

20 f or the wrath of a man the righteousness of God doth not work;

for the wrath of man does not work the righteousness of God.

21 w herefore having put aside all filthiness and superabundance of evil, in meekness be receiving the engrafted word, that is able to save your souls;

So then, leave all uncleanness and remains of malice and receive with meekness the word ingested within you, which is able to cause your souls to be saved.

22 a nd become ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves,

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

23 b ecause, if any one is a hearer of the word and not a doer, this one hath been like to a man viewing his natural face in a mirror,

For if anyone hears the word and does not put it into practice, this same is like unto the man beholding his natural face in a mirror:

24 f or he did view himself, and hath gone away, and immediately he did forget of what kind he was;

For he considered himself and went his way and in one hour forgot what he was like.

25 a nd he who did look into the perfect law -- that of liberty, and did continue there, this one -- not a forgetful hearer becoming, but a doer of work -- this one shall be happy in his doing.

But whosoever has looked attentively into the perfect law of liberty and has persevered in it, not being a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, the same shall be blessed in their deed.

26 I f any one doth think to be religious among you, not bridling his tongue, but deceiving his heart, of this one vain the religion;

If anyone among you thinks to be religious and does not bridle his tongue, but deceives his own heart, his religion is vain.

27 r eligion pure and undefiled with the God and Father is this, to look after orphans and widows in their tribulation -- unspotted to keep himself from the world.

The pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their tribulation and to keep thyself unspotted from this world.