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James 1
New Matthew Bible
James 1
New Matthew Bible
He exhorts to rejoice in trouble, to be fervent in prayer with steadfast belief, to look for all good things from above, to forsake all vice, and thankfully to receive the word of God, not only hearing it and speaking of it, but to do thereafter in deed. True religion or devotion: what it is.
1 James, the servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, sends greeting to the twelve tribes which are scattered here and there.
2 My brethren, count it exceeding joy when you fall into various trials, 3 seeing as you know that the trying of your faith brings patience. 4 And let patience have her perfect work, so that you may be perfect and sound, lacking nothing.
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all impartially, and casts no man in the teeth, and it shall be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, and waver not. For he who doubts is like the waves of the sea, tossed with the wind and carried about. 7 Neither let that person think that he will receive anything from the Lord. 8 A wavering-minded man is unstable in all his ways.
9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted, 10 and the rich in that he is made low. For like the flower of the grass, he will vanish away. 11 The sun rises with heat, and the grass withers, and its flower falls away, and the beauty of the appearance of it perishes; even so shall the rich man perish with his abundance.
12 Happy is the man who endures in temptation, for when he is proved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love him.
13 Let no one say when he is tempted, that he is tempted by God. For God tempts not to evil, nor does he tempt anyone, 14 but every person is tempted, drawn away, and enticed by his own fleshly nature and evil desire. 15 Then when desire has conceived, she brings forth sin, and sin when it is full-grown brings forth death.
16 Do not be mistaken, my dear brethren. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of light, with whom is no variableness nor turning to darkness. 18 Of his own will he begat us with the word of life, that we should be the first fruits of his creatures.
19 Therefore, dear brethren, let everyone be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger. 20 For the wrath of man does not work that which is righteous before God. 21 Therefore lay apart all uncleanness, and all lingering evil and vice, and receive with meekness the word that is grafted in you, which is able to save your souls. 22 And see that you be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves with sophistry. 23 For if anyone hears the word and does it not, he is like a man that looks at his bodily face in a mirror. 24 For as soon as he has looked at himself, he goes his way and forgets immediately what his appearance was. 25 But whoever looks in the perfect law of liberty and continues in it (if he is not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work), this one shall be happy in his deed.
26 If anyone among you seems devout, yet refrains not his tongue, but betrays his own heart into mischief, this one’s devotion is in vain. 27 Pure devotion, and undefiled before God the Father, is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their adversity, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
James 1
New International Version
James 1
New International Version
1 James,(A) a servant of God(B) and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
To the twelve tribes(C) scattered(D) among the nations:
Greetings.(E)
Trials and Temptations
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds,(F) 3 because you know that the testing of your faith(G) produces perseverance.(H) 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature(I) and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God,(J) who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.(K) 6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt,(L) because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Such a person is double-minded(M) and unstable(N) in all they do.
9 Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position.(O) 10 But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower.(P) 11 For the sun rises with scorching heat(Q) and withers(R) the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed.(S) In the same way, the rich will fade away even while they go about their business.
12 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial(T) because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life(U) that the Lord has promised to those who love him.(V)
13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own(W) evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin;(X) and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.(Y)
16 Don’t be deceived,(Z) my dear brothers and sisters.(AA) 17 Every good and perfect gift is from above,(AB) coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights,(AC) who does not change(AD) like shifting shadows. 18 He chose to give us birth(AE) through the word of truth,(AF) that we might be a kind of firstfruits(AG) of all he created.
Listening and Doing
19 My dear brothers and sisters,(AH) take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak(AI) and slow to become angry, 20 because human anger(AJ) does not produce the righteousness that God desires. 21 Therefore, get rid of(AK) all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you,(AL) which can save you.
22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.(AM) 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom,(AN) and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.(AO)
26 Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues(AP) deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. 27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after(AQ) orphans and widows(AR) in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.(AS)
Footnotes
- James 1:2 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in verses 16 and 19; and in 2:1, 5, 14; 3:10, 12; 4:11; 5:7, 9, 10, 12, 19.
New Matthew Bible (NMB)
Copyright © 2016 by Ruth Magnusson (Davis). Includes emendations to February 2022. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.