1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are of the Dispersion, greeting.
1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greeting.
2 Count it all joy, my brethren, when ye fall into manifold temptations;
2 Count it all joy, my brethren, when you meet various trials,
3 Knowing that the proving of your faith worketh patience.
3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
4 And let patience have (its) perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, lacking in nothing.
4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
5 But if any of you lacketh wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all liberally and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives to all men generously and without reproaching, and it will be given him.
6 But let him ask in faith, nothing doubting: for he that doubteth is like the surge of the sea driven by the wind and tossed.
6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.
7 For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord;
7 For that person must not suppose that a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways, will receive anything from the Lord.
8 a doubleminded man, unstable in all his ways.
8 (included in verse 7)
9 But let the brother of low degree glory in his high estate:
9 Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation,
10 and the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.
10 and the rich in his humiliation, because like the flower of the grass he will pass away.
11 For the sun ariseth with the scorching wind, and 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 goings.
11 For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.
12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation; for when he hath been approved, he shall receive the crown of life, which (the Lord) promised to them that love him.
12 Blessed is the man who endures trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life which God has promised to those who love him.
13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God; for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempteth no man:
13 Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted with evil and he himself tempts no one;
14 but each man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed.
14 but each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.
15 Then the lust, when it hath conceived, beareth sin: and the sin, when it is fullgrown, bringeth forth death.
15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin; and sin when it is full-grown brings forth death.
16 Be not deceived, my beloved brethren.
16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.
17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, neither shadow that is cast by turning.
17 Every good endowment and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.
19 Ye know (this), my beloved brethren. But let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
19 Know this, my beloved brethren. Let every man be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger,
20 for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
20 for the anger of man does not work the righteousness of God.
21 Wherefore putting away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness, receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rank growth of wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deluding your own selves.
22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
23 For if any one is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a mirror:
23 For if any one is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who observes his natural face in a mirror;
24 for he beholdeth himself, and goeth away, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
24 for he observes himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.
25 But he that looketh into the perfect law, the (law) of liberty, and (so) continueth, being not a hearer that forgetteth but a doer that worketh, this man shall be blessed in his doing.
25 But he who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer that forgets but a doer that acts, he shall be blessed in his doing.
26 If any man thinketh himself to be religious, while he bridleth not his tongue but deceiveth his heart, this mans religion is vain.
26 If any one thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this mans religion is vain.
27 Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, (and) to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.