James 1:2-18

New American Standard Bible

²^(A)Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you encounter ^(B)various ^[a]trials, ³knowing that ^(C)the testing of your ^(D)faith produces ^[b]^(E)endurance. ⁴And let ^[c]^(F)endurance have its perfect ^[d]result, so that you may be ^[e]^(G)perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

⁵But if any of you ^(H)lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and ^[f]without reproach, and ^(I)it will be given to him. ⁶But he must ^(J)ask in faith ^(K)without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, ^(L)driven and tossed by the wind. ⁷For that person ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, ⁸being a ^(M)^[g]double-minded man, ^(N)unstable in all his ways.

⁹^(O)Now the brother or sister of humble circumstances is to glory in his high position; ¹⁰but the rich person is to glory in his ^[h]humiliation, because ^(P)like ^[i]flowering grass he will pass away. ¹¹For the sun rises with ^(Q)its scorching heat and ^(R)withers the grass; and its flower falls off and the beauty of its appearance is destroyed; so also the rich person, in the midst of his pursuits, will die out.

¹²^(S)Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has ^[j]been approved, he will receive ^(T)the crown of life which the Lord ^(U)has promised to those who ^(V)love Him. ¹³No one is to say when he is tempted, “^(W)I am being tempted ^[k]by God”; for God cannot be tempted ^[l]by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. ¹⁴But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. ¹⁵Then ^(X)when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and ^(Y)sin, when it has run its course, brings forth death. ¹⁶^(Z)Do not be ^[m]deceived, ^(AA)my beloved brothers and sisters. ¹⁷Every good thing given and every perfect gift is ^(AB)from above, coming down from ^(AC)the Father of lights, ^(AD)with whom there is no variation or ^[n]shifting shadow. ¹⁸In the exercise of ^(AE)His will He ^(AF)gave us birth by ^(AG)the word of truth, so that we would be ^[o]a kind of ^(AH)first fruits ^[p]among His creatures.