1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greeting.
1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.
2 Count it all joy, my brethren, when you meet various trials,
2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
3 Knowing [this], that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
4 But let patience have [her] perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
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.
5 If 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.
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.
6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
7 For that person must not suppose that a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways, will receive anything from the Lord.
7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
8 (included in verse 7)
8 A double minded man [is] unstable in all his ways.
9 Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation,
9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:
10 and the rich in his humiliation, because like the flower of the grass he will pass away.
10 But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.
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.
11 For 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.
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.
12 Blessed [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.
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;
13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
14 but each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.
14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin; and sin when it is full-grown brings forth death.
15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.
16 Do not err, my beloved brethren.
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.
17 Every 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.
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.
18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
19 Know this, my beloved brethren. Let every man be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger,
19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
20 for the anger of man does not work the righteousness of God.
20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
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.
21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
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;
23 For 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:
24 for he observes himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.
24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
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.
25 But 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.
26 If any one thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this mans religion is vain.
26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion [is] vain.
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.
27 Pure 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.