James 1-5

Holman Christian Standard Bible

Greeting

1 James,^(A) a slave of God^(B) and of the Lord Jesus Christ:

To the 12 tribes^(C) in the Dispersion.^[a](D)

Greetings.^(E)

Trials and Maturity

² Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials,^{(F) 3} knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. ⁴ But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.

⁵ Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without criticizing, and it will be given to him.^{(G) 6} But let him ask in faith without doubting. For the doubter is like the surging sea, driven and tossed by the wind. ⁷ That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. ⁸ An indecisive^[b] man is unstable in all his ways.^(H)

⁹ The brother of humble circumstances should boast in his exaltation, ¹⁰ but the one who is rich should boast in his humiliation because he will pass away like a flower of the field.^{(I) 11} For the sun rises with its scorching heat and dries up the grass; its flower falls off, and its beautiful appearance is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will wither away while pursuing his activities.^(J)

¹² A man who endures trials^[c] is blessed, because when he passes the test he will receive the crown^(K) of life that God^[d] has promised to those who love Him.^(L)

¹³ No one undergoing a trial should say, “I am being tempted by God.” For God is not tempted by evil,^[e] and He Himself doesn’t tempt anyone. ¹⁴ But each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own evil desires.^{(M) 15} Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death.^(N)

¹⁶ Don’t be deceived, my dearly loved brothers.^{(O) 17} Every generous act and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights; with Him there is no variation or shadow cast by turning.^{(P) 18} By His own choice, He gave us a new birth by the message of truth^[f] so that we would be the firstfruits of His creatures.^(Q)

Hearing and Doing the Word

¹⁹ My dearly loved brothers, understand this: Everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger,^{(R) 20} for man’s anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness. ²¹ Therefore, ridding yourselves of all moral filth and evil,^[g] humbly receive the implanted word, which is able to save you.^[h](S)

²² But^(T) be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. ²³ Because if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man looking at his own face^[i] in a mirror. ²⁴ For he looks at himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. ²⁵ But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom and perseveres in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but one who does good works—this person will be blessed in what he does.^(U)

²⁶ If anyone^[j] thinks he is religious without controlling his tongue,^(V) then his religion is useless and he deceives himself. ²⁷ Pure and undefiled religion before our^[k] God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows^(W) in their distress and to keep oneself unstained by the world.^(X)

The Sin of Favoritism

2 My brothers, do not show favoritism as you hold on to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ.^{(Y) 2} For example, a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and a poor man dressed in dirty clothes also comes in. ³ If you look with favor on the man wearing the fine clothes and say, “Sit here in a good place,” and yet you say to the poor man, “Stand over there,” or, “Sit here on the floor by my footstool,” ⁴ haven’t you discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

⁵ Listen, my dear brothers: Didn’t God choose the poor in this world^(Z) to be rich in faith^(AA) and heirs^(AB) of the kingdom that He has promised to those who love Him? ⁶ Yet you dishonored that poor man.^(AC) Don’t the rich oppress you and drag^(AD) you into the courts? ⁷ Don’t they blaspheme the noble name that was pronounced over you at your baptism?^(AE)

⁸ Indeed, if you keep the royal law prescribed in the Scripture, Love your neighbor as yourself,^(AF)[l] you are doing well. ⁹ But if you show favoritism,^(AG) you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. ¹⁰ For whoever keeps the entire law, yet fails in one point, is guilty of breaking it all.^{(AH) 11} For He who said, Do not commit adultery,^[m] also said, Do not murder.^(AI)[n] So if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you are a lawbreaker.

¹² Speak and act as those who will be judged by the law of freedom.^{(AJ) 13} For judgment is without mercy to the one who hasn’t shown mercy.^(AK) Mercy triumphs over judgment.

Faith and Works

¹⁴ What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can his faith^[o] save him?

¹⁵ If a brother or sister is without clothes and lacks daily food ¹⁶ and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,” but you don’t give them what the body needs, what good is it?^{(AL) 17} In the same way faith, if it doesn’t have works, is dead by itself.

¹⁸ But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.”^[p] Show me your faith without works, and I will show you faith from my works.^{[q](AM) 19} You believe that God is one; you do well. The demons also believe—and they shudder.^(AN)

²⁰ Foolish man! Are you willing to learn that faith without works is useless? ²¹ Wasn’t Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? ²² You see that faith was active together with his works, and by works, faith was perfected.^{(AO) 23} So the Scripture was fulfilled that says, Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness,^(AP)[r] and he was called God’s friend.^{(AQ) 24} You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. ²⁵ And in the same way, wasn’t Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by a different route?^{(AR) 26} For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.

Controlling the Tongue

3 Not many should become teachers, my brothers, knowing that we will receive a stricter judgment,^{(AS) 2} for we all stumble in many ways.^(AT) If anyone does not stumble in what he says,^[s] he is a mature man who is also able to control his whole body.^[t](AU)

³ Now when we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us,^(AV) we also guide the whole animal.^{[u] 4} And consider ships: Though very large and driven by fierce winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. ⁵ So too, though the tongue is a small part of the body, it boasts great things.^(AW) Consider how large a forest a small fire ignites. ⁶ And the tongue is a fire. The tongue, a world of unrighteousness, is placed among the parts of our bodies. It pollutes the whole body,^(AX) sets the course of life on fire, and is set on fire by hell.

⁷ Every sea creature, reptile, bird, or animal is tamed and has been tamed by man, ⁸ but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.^{(AY) 9} We praise our^[v] Lord and Father with it, and we curse men who are made in God’s likeness with it.^{(AZ) 10} Praising and cursing come out of the same mouth. My brothers, these things should not be this way. ¹¹ Does a spring pour out sweet and bitter water from the same opening? ¹² Can a fig tree produce olives, my brothers, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a saltwater spring yield fresh water.

The Wisdom from Above

¹³ Who is wise and has understanding among you? He should show his works by good conduct with wisdom’s gentleness.^{(BA) 14} But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your heart, don’t brag and deny the truth.^{(BB) 15} Such wisdom does not come from above but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.^{(BC) 16} For where envy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every kind of evil. ¹⁷ But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without favoritism and hypocrisy.^{(BD) 18} And the fruit of righteousness^(BE) is sown in peace by those who cultivate peace.

Proud or Humble

4 What is the source of wars and fights among you? Don’t they come from the cravings^(BF) that are at war within you?^{[w] 2} You desire and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. You do not have because you do not ask. ³ You ask and don’t receive because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your evil desires.^(BG)

⁴ Adulteresses!^[x][y] Don’t you know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? So whoever wants to be the world’s friend becomes God’s enemy.^{(BH) 5} Or do you think it’s without reason the Scripture says that the Spirit who lives in us yearns jealously?^[z](BI)

⁶ But He gives greater grace. Therefore He says:

⁷ Therefore, submit to God. But resist the Devil, and he will flee from you.^{(BK) 8} Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, sinners, and purify your hearts, double-minded people!^{(BL) 9} Be miserable and mourn and weep. Your laughter must change to mourning and your joy to sorrow.^{(BM) 10} Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.

¹¹ Don’t criticize one another, brothers. He who criticizes a brother or judges his brother criticizes the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge.^{(BN) 12} There is one lawgiver and judge^[ab] who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?^(BO)

Our Will and His Will

¹³ Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will travel to such and such a city and spend a year there and do business and make a profit.”^{(BP) 14} You don’t even know what tomorrow will bring—what your life will be! For you are like smoke that appears for a little while, then vanishes.^(BQ)

¹⁵ Instead, you should say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” ¹⁶ But as it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.^{(BR) 17} So it is a sin for the person who knows to do what is good and doesn’t do it.^(BS)

Warning to the Rich

5 Come now, you rich^(BT) people! Weep and wail over the miseries that are coming on you. ² Your wealth is ruined and your clothes are moth-eaten.^{(BU) 3} Your silver and gold are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You stored up treasure in the last days!^{(BV) 4} Look! The pay that you withheld from the workers^(BW) who reaped your fields cries out, and the outcry of the harvesters has reached the ears of the Lord of Hosts.^{[ac](BX) 5} You have lived luxuriously on the land and have indulged yourselves. You have fattened your hearts^(BY) for^[ad] the day of slaughter.^{(BZ) 6} You have condemned—you have murdered—the righteous man; he does not resist you.^(CA)

Waiting for the Lord

⁷ Therefore, brothers, be patient until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth and is patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains.^{(CB) 8} You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, because the Lord’s coming is near.^(CC)

⁹ Brothers, do not complain about one another, so that you will not be judged. Look, the judge stands at the door!^(CD)

¹⁰ Brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the Lord’s name as an example of suffering and patience. ¹¹ See, we count as blessed those who have endured.^[ae] You have heard of Job’s endurance^(CE) and have seen the outcome from the Lord. The Lord is very compassionate and merciful.^(CF)

Truthful Speech

¹² Now above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath.^(CG) Your “yes” must be “yes,” and your “no” must be “no,” so that you won’t fall under judgment.^[af]

Effective Prayer

¹³ Is anyone among you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone cheerful? He should sing praises.^{(CH) 14} Is anyone among you sick? He should call for the elders of the church, and they should pray over him after anointing him with olive oil in the name of the Lord.^{(CI) 15} The prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will restore him to health; if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.^{(CJ) 16} Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The urgent request of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect.^{(CK) 17} Elijah was a man with a nature like ours; yet he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the land.^{(CL) 18} Then he prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the land produced its fruit.^(CM)

¹⁹ My brothers, if any among you strays from the truth,^(CN) and someone turns him back,^{(CO) 20} let him know that whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his life from death and cover a multitude of sins.^(CP)