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 bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad: Greetings. Profiting from Trials

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

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,

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

knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.

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

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

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;

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 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 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.

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

For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;

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

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

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

Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation,

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

but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will 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 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

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 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.

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 by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.

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

But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires 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 desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.

16 B e not led astray, my brethren beloved;

Do not be deceived, 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 there is no variation or 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.

Of 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

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

So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift 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 produce the righteousness of God. Doers—Not Hearers Only

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;

Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

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

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

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 is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing 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 observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.

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 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.

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 he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless.

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.

Pure 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.