Greeting

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

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

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) But let him ask in faith without doubting. For the doubter is like the surging sea, driven and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. An indecisive[b] man is unstable in all his ways.(H)

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)

Footnotes

  1. James 1:1 Jewish people scattered throughout Gentile lands who spoke Gk and were influenced by Gk culture.
  2. James 1:8 Or A doubting, or A double-minded
  3. James 1:12 Lit trial, used as a collective
  4. James 1:12 Other mss read that the Lord
  5. James 1:13 Or evil persons, or evil things
  6. James 1:18 = the gospel
  7. James 1:21 Lit evil excess
  8. James 1:21 Lit save your souls
  9. James 1:23 Lit at the face of his birth
  10. James 1:26 Other mss add among you
  11. James 1:27 Or before the

James Iakōbos, a servant of God theos and kai of the Lord kyrios Jesus Iēsous Christ Christos, to the ho twelve dōdeka tribes phylē · ho in en the ho dispersion diaspora: Greetings chairō.

Consider hēgeomai it sheer pas joy chara, my egō brothers adelphos, when hotan you encounter peripiptō various kinds of poikilos trials peirasmos, because you know ginōskō that hoti the ho testing dokimion of ho your hymeis faith pistis produces katergazomai endurance hypomonē. · ho And de let echō endurance hypomonē carry out echō its intended ergon purpose teleios, so that hina you may be eimi mature teleios and kai complete holoklēros, lacking leipō in en nothing mēdeis. But de if ei any tis of you hymeis lacks leipō wisdom sophia, he should ask aiteō God theos, who ho gives didōmi to everyone pas generously haplōs, · kai not demanding oneidizō something in return , and kai it will be given didōmi to him autos. But de he must ask aiteō in en faith pistis without mēdeis doubting diakrinō, for gar the ho doubter diakrinō is like eoika a wave klydōn of the sea thalassa, driven by the wind anemizō and kai tossed about rhipizō. For gar that ekeinos person anthrōpos must not imagine oiomai · ho that hoti he will receive lambanō anything tis from para the ho Lord kyrios; he is a double-minded dipsychos man anēr, unstable akatastatos in en all pas · ho his autos ways hodos.

Let the ho brother adelphos of limited means tapeinos take pride kauchaomai · de · ho in en · ho his autos high position hypsos, 10 and de the ho wealthy plousios brother in en · ho his autos humiliation tapeinōsis, because hoti like hōs a flower anthos in the meadow chortos he will pass away parerchomai. 11 For gar the ho sun hēlios rises anatellō with syn its ho scorching heat kausōn and kai withers xērainō the ho meadow chortos; · kai · ho its autos flower anthos falls ekpiptō and kai · ho its autos beauty euprepeia ho · ho fades apollymi. In the same way houtōs · kai the ho rich man plousios will fade away marainō while en pursuing ho his autos business poreia. 12 Blessed makarios is the man anēr who hos remains steadfast hypomenō when tested peirasmos, because hoti once he is shown to be ginomai genuine dokimos, he will receive lambanō the ho crown stephanos of ho life zōē that hos the Lord has promised epangellomai to those ho who love agapaō him autos. 13 No one mēdeis when tempted peirazō should say legō, “ I am being tempted peirazō by apo God theos”; · ho for gar God theos cannot be tempted apeirastos to do eimi evil kakos, and de he himself autos tempts peirazō no one oudeis else. 14 But de each person hekastos is tempted peirazō when by hypo · ho his own idios desire epithumia he is lured away exelkō and kai enticed deleazō. 15 Then eita · ho desire epithumia, when it has conceived syllambanō, gives birth to tiktō sin hamartia; · ho and de sin hamartia, when it is full-grown apoteleō, brings forth apokyeō death thanatos. 16 Do not be deceived planaō, my egō dear agapētos brothers adelphos. 17 Every pas good agathos gift dosis and kai every pas perfect teleios gift dōrēma is eimi from above anōthen, coming down katabainō from apo the ho Father patēr of ho lights phōs, with para whom hos there is no ou variation parallagē or ē shadow aposkiasma caused by change tropē. 18 According to his sovereign plan boulomai, he brought apokyeō us hēmeis into being through his word logos of truth alētheia, so that eis we hēmeis would be eimi a kind tis of first fruits aparchē of ho all he autos created ktisma.

19 Understand oida this, my egō dear agapētos brothers adelphos: everyone pas must be eimi · de quick tachus to eis listen akouō, slow bradys to eis speak laleō, and slow bradys to eis become angry orgē. 20 For gar the anger orgē of man anēr does ergazomai not ou bring about ergazomai the righteousness dikaiosynē that God requires theos. 21 Therefore dio put aside apotithēmi all pas filthiness rhyparia and kai rampant perisseia wickedness kakia, and receive dechomai with en meekness prautēs the ho implanted emphytos word logos, which ho is able dynamai to save sōzō · ho your hymeis souls psychē. 22 But de be ginomai doers poiētēs of the word logos and kai not merely monon hearers akroatēs, deceiving paralogizomai yourselves heautou. 23 For hoti if ei someone tis is eimi a hearer akroatēs of the word logos and kai not ou a doer poiētēs, he houtos is like eoika a person anēr who looks at katanoeō · ho his autos natural genesis face prosōpon · ho in en a mirror esoptron; 24 then gar after looking at katanoeō himself heautou · kai he goes away aperchomai and kai immediately eutheōs forgets epilanthanomai what he was eimi like hopoios. 25 But de the ho person who looks intently parakyptō into eis the perfect teleios law nomos, the ho law that ho provides liberty eleutheria, and kai continues paramenō in it, not ou having become ginomai a forgetful epilēsmonē hearer akroatēs but alla an active poiētēs doer ergon he houtos will be eimi blessed makarios in en · ho his autos doing poiēsis. 26 If ei someone tis thinks dokeō that he is eimi religious, yet does not bridle chalinagōgeō his autos tongue glōssa but alla deceives apataō his autos heart kardia, this person’ s houtos religion thrēskeia is worthless mataios. · ho 27 Religion thrēskeia that is pure katharos and kai undefiled amiantos before para · ho God theos · kai the Father patēr is eimi this houtos: to care for episkeptomai orphans orphanos and kai widows chēra in en · ho their autos time of trouble thlipsis, and to keep tēreō oneself heautou unstained aspilos by apo the ho world kosmos.