1 aJames, a bbond-servant
of God
and cof the Lord
Jesus
Christ
,
To dthe twelve tribes
who
are 2 edispersed
abroad: fGreetings
.
aConsider it all
joy
, my brethren
, when
you encounter
bvarious
1trials
,
knowing that athe testing
of your bfaith
produces
1 cendurance
.
And let 1 aendurance have
its perfect
2result
, so
that you may be 3 bperfect
and complete
, lacking
in nothing
.
But if any
of you alacks
wisdom
, let him ask
of God
, who gives
to all
generously
and 1without
reproach
, and bit will be given
to him.
But he must aask in faith
bwithout
any
doubting
, for the one who doubts
is like
the surf
of the sea
, cdriven
and tossed
by the wind
.
For that man ought not to expect
that he will receive
anything
from the Lord
,
being a 1 adouble-minded man
, bunstable
in all
his ways
.
aBut the 1brother of humble
circumstances is to glory
in his high
position
;
and the rich man
is to glory in his humiliation
, because
alike
1flowering
grass
he will pass
away
.
For the sun rises
with 1 aa scorching
wind
and bwithers
the grass
; and its flower
falls
off
and the beauty
of its appearance
is destroyed
; so
too
the rich
man
in the midst of his pursuits
will fade
away
.
aBlessed is a man
who
perseveres
under trial
; for once he has 1been
approved
, he will receive
bthe crown
of life
which
the Lord chas promised
to those
who dlove
Him.
Let no one
say
when he is tempted
, " aI am being tempted
1by God
"; for God
cannot
be tempted
2by evil
, and He Himself
does not tempt
anyone
.
But each one
is tempted
when he is carried
away
and enticed
by his own
lust
.
Then awhen lust
has conceived
, it gives
birth
to sin
; and when bsin
1is accomplished
, it brings
forth
death
.
aDo not be 1deceived, bmy beloved
brethren
.
Every good
thing
given
and every
perfect
gift
is afrom above
, coming
down
from bthe Father
of lights
, cwith whom
there
is no
variation
or
1shifting
shadow
.
In the exercise of aHis will He bbrought
us forth
by cthe word
of truth
, so
that we would be 1a kind
of dfirst
fruits
2among His creatures
.
1This ayou know, bmy beloved
brethren
. But everyone
must be quick
to hear
, cslow
to speak
and dslow
to anger
;
for athe anger of man
does not achieve
the righteousness
of God
.
Therefore, aputting
aside
all
filthiness
and all 1that remains
of wickedness
, in 2humility
receive
bthe word
implanted
, which is able
to save
your souls
.
aBut prove yourselves doers
of the word
, and not merely
hearers
who delude
themselves
.
For if anyone
is a hearer
of the word
and not a doer
, he is like
a man
who looks
at his 1natural
face
ain a mirror
;
for once he has looked at himself
and gone
away
, 1he has immediately
forgotten
what
kind
of person
he was.
But one who looks intently
at the perfect
law
, athe law of liberty
, and abides
by it, not having become
a forgetful
hearer
but 1an effectual
doer
, this
man
will be bblessed
in 2what
he does
.
If anyone
thinks
himself to be religious
, and yet does not 1 abridle
his tongue
but deceives
his own heart
, this
man's
religion
is worthless
.
Pure and undefiled
religion
ain the sight
of our God
and Father
is this
: to bvisit
corphans
and widows
in their distress
, and to keep
oneself
unstained
1by dthe world
.