James 1
Christian Standard Bible
Greeting
1 James,(A) a servant of God(B) and of the Lord Jesus Christ:
To the twelve tribes(C) dispersed abroad.[a](D)
Greetings.(E)
Trials and Maturity
2 Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials,(F) 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.
5 Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God—who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly—and it will be given to him.(G) 6 But let him ask in faith without doubting.[b] For the doubter is like the surging sea, driven and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord, 8 being double-minded and unstable in all his ways.[c](H)
9 Let the brother of humble circumstances boast in his exaltation, 10 but let the rich boast in his humiliation because he will pass away like a flower of the field.(I) 11 For the sun rises and, together with the scorching wind, dries up the grass; its flower falls off, and its beautiful appearance perishes. In the same way, the rich person will wither away while pursuing his activities.(J)
12 Blessed is the one who endures trials, because when he has stood 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,” since God is not tempted by evil, and he himself doesn’t tempt anyone. 14 But each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own evil desire.(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 dear brothers and sisters.(O) 17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.(P) 18 By his own choice, he gave us birth by the word of truth so that we would be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.(Q)
Hearing and Doing the Word
19 My dear brothers and sisters, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger,(R) 20 for human anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness. 21 Therefore, ridding yourselves of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent,[e] humbly receive the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.(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 someone looking at his own face[f] in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of person 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 a doer who works—this person will be blessed in what he does.(U)
26 If anyone[g] thinks he is religious without controlling his tongue,(V) his religion is useless and he deceives himself. 27 Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to look after orphans and widows(W) in their distress and to keep oneself unstained from the world.(X)
James 1
Jubilee Bible 2000
1 ¶ James, {Gr. Jacob} a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus, the Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.
2 ¶ My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into diverse trials,
3 knowing that the proving of your faith works patience,
4 and the patience finishes the work, that ye may be perfect and entire, not lacking in anything.
5 And if any of you lacks wisdom, let them ask of God (who gives abundantly to all, and without reproach), and it shall be given them.
6 But ask in faith, not doubting anything. For he that doubts is like the wave of the sea which is driven of the wind and is tossed from one side to another.
7 For let not such a man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord.
8 The double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in his high status;
10 and he who is rich, in his low status, because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.
11 For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withers the grass, and its flower falls, and the beautiful appearance of it perishes: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.
12 Blessed is the man that patiently endures temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those that love him.
13 ¶ Let no one say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God; for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither does he tempt anyone:
14 But each one is tempted, when they are drawn away of their own lust and enticed.
15 Then when lust has conceived, it brings forth sin; and sin, when it is finished, brings forth death.
16 Do not err, my beloved brethren.
17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness neither shadow of turning.
18 He, of his own will, has begotten us with the word of truth, that we should be the firstfruits of his creatures.
19 ¶ Therefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath;
20 for the wrath of man does not work the righteousness of God.
21 So then, leave all uncleanness and remains of malice and receive with meekness the word ingested within you, which is able to cause your souls to be saved.
22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
23 For if anyone hears the word and does not put it into practice, this same is like unto the man beholding his natural face in a mirror:
24 For he considered himself and went his way and in one hour forgot what he was like.
25 But whosoever has looked attentively into the perfect law of liberty and has persevered in it, not being a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, the same shall be blessed in their deed.
26 If anyone among you thinks to be religious and does not bridle his tongue, but deceives his own heart, his religion is vain.
27 The pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their tribulation and to keep thyself unspotted from this world.
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