James 1:14-25

Modern English Version

¹⁴ But each man is tempted when he is drawn away by his own lust and enticed. ¹⁵ Then, when lust has conceived, it brings forth sin; and when sin is finished, it brings forth death.

¹⁶ Do not err, my beloved brothers. ¹⁷ Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no change or shadow of turning. ¹⁸ Of His own will He brought us forth with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of His creatures.

Hearing and Doing the Word

¹⁹ Therefore, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger, ²⁰ for the anger of man does not work the righteousness of God. ²¹ Therefore lay aside all filthiness and remaining wickedness and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

²² Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. ²³ For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man viewing his natural face in a mirror. ²⁴ He views himself, and goes his way, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. ²⁵ But whoever looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this man will be blessed in his deeds.