Testing Your Faith

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

To ^(D)the twelve tribes who are in the ^(E)Dispersion: ^(F)Greetings.

^2 (G)Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter ^(H)various ^[b]trials, ³ knowing that ^(I)the testing of your ^(J)faith brings about ^(K)perseverance. ⁴ And let ^(L)perseverance have its perfect work, so that you may be ^[c](M)perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

⁵ But if any of you ^(N)lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and ^[d]without reproach, and ^(O)it will be given to him. ⁶ But he must ^(P)ask in faith, ^(Q)doubting nothing, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, ^(R)driven and tossed by the wind. ⁷ For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, ⁸ being a ^[e](S)double-minded man, ^(T)unstable in all his ways.

^9 (U)But the ^[f]brother of humble circumstances is to boast in his high position; ¹⁰ and the rich man is to boast in his humiliation, because ^(V)like ^[g]flowering grass he will pass away. ¹¹ For the sun rises with ^[h](W)a scorching heat and ^(X)withers 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.

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

Doers of the Word

^19 [p](AO)Know this, ^(AP)my beloved brothers. But everyone must be quick to hear, ^(AQ)slow to speak and ^(AR)slow to anger; ²⁰ for ^(AS)the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God. ²¹ Therefore, ^(AT)laying aside all filthiness and all ^[q]that remains of wickedness, in gentleness receive ^(AU)the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. ^22 (AV)But become doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. ²³ For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his ^[r]natural face ^(AW)in a mirror; ²⁴ for once he looked at himself and has gone away, ^[s]he immediately forgot what kind of person he was. ²⁵ But one who looks intently at the perfect law, ^(AX)the law of freedom, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this man will be ^(AY)blessed in ^[t]what he does.

²⁶ If anyone thinks himself to be religious while not ^[u](AZ)bridling his tongue but deceiving his own heart, this man’s religion is worthless. ²⁷ Pure and undefiled religion ^(BA)before our God and Father is this: to ^(BB)visit ^(BC)orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained ^[v]by ^(BD)the world.