James 1
1
1James, bondman of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are in the dispersion, greeting.
2Count it all joy, my brethren, when ye fall into various temptations, 3knowing that the proving of your faith works endurance. 4But let endurance have its perfect work, that ye may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. 5But if any one of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all freely and reproaches not, and it shall be given to him: 6but let him ask in faith, nothing doubting. For he that doubts is like a wave of the sea driven by the wind and tossed about; 7for let not that man think that he shall receive anything from the Lord; 8he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. 9But let the brother of low degree glory in his elevation, 10and the rich in his humiliation, because as the grass's flower he will pass away. 11For the sun has risen with its burning heat, and has withered the grass, and its flower has fallen, and the comeliness of its look has perished: thus the rich also shall wither in his goings. 12Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for, having been proved, he shall receive the crown of life, which He has promised to them that love him.
13Let no man, being tempted, say, I am tempted of God. For God cannot be tempted by evil things, and himself tempts no one. 14But every one is tempted, drawn away, and enticed by his own lust; 15then lust, having conceived, gives birth to sin; but sin fully completed brings forth death. 16Do not err, my beloved brethren. 17Every good gift and every perfect gift comes down from above, from the Father of lights, with whom is no variation nor shadow of turning. 18According to his own will begat he us by the word of truth, that we should be a certain first-fruits of his creatures.
19So that, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; 20for man's wrath does not work God's righteousness. 21Wherefore, laying aside all filthiness and abounding of wickedness, accept with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. 22But be ye doers of the word and not hearers only, beguiling yourselves. 23For if any man be a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like to a man considering his natural face in a mirror: 24for he has considered himself and is gone away, and straightway he has forgotten what he was like. 25But he that fixes his view on the perfect law, that of liberty, and abides in it, being not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, he shall be blessed in his doing. 26If any one think himself to be religious, not bridling his tongue, but deceiving his heart, this man's religion is vain. 27Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
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First published in 1890. This edition is maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.
James 1
1
Greeting
1James,#Mt 13:55; Mk 6:3; Ac 12:17; 15:13; 21:18; Gl 1:19; 2:9,12; Jd 1 a servant of God#Ac 16:17; Rm 1:1; Eph 6:6; Jms 1:1; 1Pt 2:16; Rv 1:1 and of the Lord Jesus Christ:
To the twelve tribes#Gn 49:28; Ex 24:4; Ezk 47:13; Mt 19:28; Ac 26:7; Rv 21:12 dispersed abroad.#1:1 Gk diaspora; Jewish people scattered throughout Gentile lands#Jn 7:35; 1Pt 1:1
Greetings.#Ti 1:1
Trials and Maturity
2Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials,#Mt 5:12; 1Pt 1:6 3because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4And let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.
5Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God — who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly — and it will be given to him.#1Kg 3:9; Pr 2:3–6; Mt 7:7 6But let him ask in faith without doubting.#1:6 Or without divided loyalties For the doubter is like the surging sea, driven and tossed by the wind. 7That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord, 8being double-minded and unstable in all his ways.#1:8 Or in all his conduct#Jms 4:8; 2Pt 2:14
9Let the brother of humble circumstances boast in his exaltation, 10but let the rich boast in his humiliation because he will pass away like a flower of the field.#1Co 7:31; 1Pt 1:24 11For the sun rises and, together with the scorching wind, dries up the grass; its flower falls off, and its beautiful appearance perishes. In the same way, the rich person will wither away while pursuing his activities.#Ps 102:4,11; Is 40:7
12Blessed is the one who endures trials, because when he has stood the test he will receive the crown#1Co 9:25; 2Tm 4:8; 1Pt 5:4; Rv 2:10; 3:11 of life that God#1:12 Other mss read that the Lord has promised to those who love him.#Mt 10:22; Jms 2:5
13No 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. 14But each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own evil desire.#Pr 7:6–23 15Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death.#Jb 15:35; Ps 7:14; Is 59:4; Rm 6:23
16Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters.#1Co 6:9; Jms 1:19 17Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.#Nm 23:19; Mal 3:6; Jn 3:27; 1Jn 1:5 18By his own choice, he gave us birth by the word of truth so that we would be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.#Jn 1:13; Eph 1:12
Hearing and Doing the Word
19My dear brothers and sisters, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger,#Pr 10:19; 17:27; Ec 5:1–2 20for human anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness. 21Therefore, ridding yourselves of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent,#1:21 Or the abundance of evil humbly receive the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.#Eph 1:13; 4:22; Col 3:8
22But#Mt 7:24–27; Rm 2:13; Jms 2:14–20 be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23Because if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like someone looking at his own face#1:23 Or at his natural face in a mirror. 24For he looks at himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of person he was. 25But 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.#Jn 13:17; Jms 2:12
26If anyone#1:26 Other mss add among you thinks he is religious without controlling his tongue,#Ps 34:13; 39:1; 141:3; Jms 3:2–3; 1Pt 3:10 his religion is useless and he deceives himself. 27Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to look after orphans and widows#Jb 31:17; Is 1:17,23; Mt 25:36 in their distress and to keep oneself unstained from the world.#Rm 12:2; 1Jn 5:18
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