James 1
1
Greeting
1 # See Acts 12:17 James, a servant#1:1 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface of God and #Rom. 1:1; 2 Pet. 1:1; Jude 1 of the Lord Jesus Christ,
To #Luke 22:30; Acts 26:7 the twelve tribes in #1 Pet. 1:1; [Acts 2:9-11]; See John 7:35the Dispersion:
Greetings.
Testing of Your Faith
2 # See Matt. 5:12 Count it all joy, my brothers,#1:2 Or brothers and sisters. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, the plural Greek word adelphoi (translated “brothers”) may refer either to brothers or to brothers and sisters; also verses 16, 19 when you meet trials #1 Pet. 1:6of various kinds, 3for you know that #1 Pet. 1:7 the testing of your faith #Rom. 5:3; [ch. 5:11; Heb. 10:36; 2 Pet. 1:6]produces steadfastness. 4And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be #1 Thess. 5:23; See Matt. 5:48perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
5 #
1 Kgs. 3:9-12; Prov. 2:3-6 If any of you lacks wisdom, #See Matt. 7:7 let him ask God, #Prov. 28:5who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6But #Mark 11:24 let him ask in faith, #Matt. 21:21 with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like #[Isa. 57:20; Eph. 4:14]a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8#ch. 4:8 he is a double-minded man, #[2 Pet. 2:14; 3:16]unstable in all his ways.
9Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, 10and #Jer. 9:23 the rich in his humiliation, because #[Ps. 102:4, 11; 1 Cor. 7:31; 1 Pet. 1:24]like a flower of the grass#1:10 Or a wild flower he will pass away. 11For the sun rises with its scorching heat and #Isa. 40:7withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.
12 # ch. 5:11; Matt. 10:22; 1 Pet. 3:14; [Dan. 12:12] Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive #Rev. 2:10; 3:11; [1 Cor. 9:25; 2 Tim. 4:8; 1 Pet. 5:4] the crown of life, #ch. 2:5which God has promised to those who love him. 13Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15Then desire #Job 15:35; Ps. 7:14; Isa. 59:4 when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and #Rom. 5:12; 6:23sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.
16Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. 17#Ps. 85:12; John 3:27; 1 Cor. 4:7 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from #1 John 1:5 the Father of lights, #Mal. 3:6with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.#1:17 Some manuscripts variation due to a shadow of turning 18#John 1:13 Of his own will he #[Gal. 4:19; 1 Pet. 1:3, 23] brought us forth by the word of truth, #[Eph. 1:12] that we should be a kind of #Jer. 2:3; Rev. 14:4; [Rom. 8:19-23]firstfruits of his creatures.
Hearing and Doing the Word
19 #
1 John 2:21 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person #[Eccles. 5:1, 2] be quick to hear, #Prov. 10:19; 17:27 slow to speak, #See Prov. 14:29slow to anger; 20for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. 21Therefore #Col. 3:8 put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with #ch. 3:13 meekness the implanted word, #1 Cor. 15:2; Eph. 1:13which is able to save your souls.
22But be #Rom. 2:13; [ch. 2:14-20; Matt. 7:21, 24-27; Luke 8:21; John 13:17]doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25But the one who looks into the perfect law, #ch. 2:12; [Gal. 2:4; 5:1, 13; 1 Pet. 2:16; 2 Pet. 2:19]; See John 8:32 the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, #Ps. 1:1, 2; Luke 11:28he will be blessed in his doing.
26If anyone thinks he is religious #ch. 3:2, 3; Ps. 39:1; [ch. 3:6; Ps. 34:13; 141:3] and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s #Acts 26:5religion is worthless. 27Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: #Matt. 25:36 to visit #Job 31:17, 18; Isa. 1:17, 23 orphans and widows in their affliction, and #1 Tim. 5:22; 1 John 5:18 to keep oneself #2 Pet. 3:14unstained from the world.
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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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James 1
1
Salutation
1 #
Matt 13.55; Mark 6.3; Acts 15.13; Gal 1.19. James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad,
Greeting.
Faith and Humility
2My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
5If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 6But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering: for he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. 7For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. 8A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.
9Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted: 10#Isa 40.6,7. but the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away. 11For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it 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 ways.
Trial and Temptation
12Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. 13Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 14but every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin; and sin, when it is finished,#1.15 finished or full-grown. bringeth forth death.
16Do not err, my beloved brethren. 17Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. 18Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
Hearing and Doing the Word
19Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: 20for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. 21Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
22But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 23For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: 24for he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. 25But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
26If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. 27Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
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King James Version 1611, spelling, punctuation and text formatting modernized by ABS in 1962; typesetting © 2010 American Bible Society.