James 1:16-27

New Catholic Bible

¹⁶ Light and Life.^[a] Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. ¹⁷ Every good act of giving and every perfect gift are from above, coming down from the Father of all light. With him there is no alteration or shadow caused by change. ¹⁸ By his own choice he gave us birth through the way of truth so that we may be a kind of firstfruits of all his creation.

Exhortation To Practice Faith

¹⁹ Living by God’s Word.^[b] Remember this, my beloved brethren: everyone should be quick to listen but slow to speak and slow to anger. ²⁰ For human anger does not bring about the righteousness of God. ²¹ Therefore, rid yourselves of everything sordid and of every wicked excess, and welcome in all humility the word that is implanted in you and is able to save your souls.

²² Be doers of the word and not just hearers who only deceive themselves. ²³ For anyone who listens to the word and fails to do it is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror. ²⁴ After seeing his reflection, he goes off and immediately forgets what he looked like. ²⁵ However, the one who looks intently at the perfect law of freedom and perseveres—not forgetting what he has heard but putting it into practice—will be blessed in everything he does.

²⁶ If anyone thinks that he is religious but does not restrain his tongue, he is deceiving himself, and his religion is worthless. ²⁷ Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and undefiled is this: to come to the aid of orphans and widows in their hardships and to keep oneself untarnished by the world.