James 1:12-27

Blessed is the one who endures trials, because when he has stood the test he will receive the crown  of life that God  has promised to those who love him.  No one undergoing a trial should say, ‘I am being tempted by God,’ since God is not tempted by evil, and he himself doesn’t tempt anyone. But each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own evil desire.  Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death.  Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters.  Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.  By his own choice, he gave us birth by the word of truth so that we would be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.  My dear brothers and sisters, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger,  for human anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness. Therefore, ridding yourselves of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent,  humbly receive the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.  But  be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. Because if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like someone looking at his own face  in a mirror. For he looks at himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of person he was. But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom and perseveres in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer who works #– #this person will be blessed in what he does.  If anyone  thinks he is religious without controlling his tongue,  his religion is useless and he deceives himself. Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to look after orphans and widows  in their distress and to keep oneself unstained from the world.