James 1
Legacy Standard Bible
Testing Your Faith
1 [a](A)James, a (B)slave of God and (C)of the Lord Jesus Christ,
To (D)the twelve tribes who are in the (E)Dispersion: (F)Greetings.
2 (G)Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter (H)various [b]trials, 3 knowing that (I)the testing of your (J)faith brings about (K)perseverance. 4 And let (L)perseverance have its perfect work, so that you may be [c](M)perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
5 But if any of you (N)lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and [d]without reproach, and (O)it will be given to him. 6 But he must (P)ask in faith, (Q)doubting nothing, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, (R)driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, 8 being a [e](S)double-minded man, (T)unstable in all his ways.
9 (U)But the [f]brother of humble circumstances is to boast in his high position; 10 and the rich man is to boast in his humiliation, because (V)like [g]flowering grass he will pass away. 11 For the sun rises with [h](W)a scorching heat and (X)withers the grass; and its flower falls off and the beauty of its appearance is destroyed; so too the rich man in the midst of his pursuits will fade away.
12 (Y)Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has [i]been approved, he will receive (Z)the crown of life which the Lord (AA)has promised to those who (AB)love Him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “(AC)I am being tempted [j]by God”; for God cannot be tempted [k]by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. 15 Then (AD)when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when (AE)sin is fully matured, it brings forth death. 16 (AF)Do not be [l]deceived, (AG)my beloved brothers. 17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is (AH)from above, coming down from (AI)the Father of lights, (AJ)with whom there is no variation or [m]shifting shadow. 18 In the exercise of (AK)His will He (AL)brought us forth by (AM)the word of truth, so that we would be [n]a kind of (AN)first fruits [o]among His creatures.
Doers of the Word
19 [p](AO)Know this, (AP)my beloved brothers. But everyone must be quick to hear, (AQ)slow to speak and (AR)slow to anger; 20 for (AS)the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore, (AT)laying aside all filthiness and all [q]that remains of wickedness, in gentleness receive (AU)the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 (AV)But become doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his [r]natural face (AW)in a mirror; 24 for once he looked at himself and has gone away, [s]he immediately forgot what kind of person he was. 25 But one who looks intently at the perfect law, (AX)the law of freedom, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this man will be (AY)blessed in [t]what he does.
26 If anyone thinks himself to be religious while not [u](AZ)bridling his tongue but deceiving his own heart, this man’s religion is worthless. 27 Pure and undefiled religion (BA)before our God and Father is this: to (BB)visit (BC)orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained [v]by (BD)the world.
Footnotes
- James 1:1 Or Jacob; James is the Eng form of Jacob
- James 1:2 Or temptations
- James 1:4 Or mature
- James 1:5 Lit does not reproach
- James 1:8 Or doubting, hesitating
- James 1:9 Church member
- James 1:10 Lit the flower of the grass
- James 1:11 Lit the
- James 1:12 Or passed the test
- James 1:13 Lit from
- James 1:13 Lit of evil things
- James 1:16 Or misled
- James 1:17 Lit shadow of turning
- James 1:18 Or a certain first fruits
- James 1:18 Lit of
- James 1:19 Or This you know
- James 1:21 Lit abundance of malice
- James 1:23 Or nature; lit the face of his birth
- James 1:24 Lit and he
- James 1:25 Lit his doing
- James 1:26 Or controlling
- James 1:27 Lit from
James 1
New King James Version
Greeting to the Twelve Tribes
1 James, (A)a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad:
Greetings.
Profiting from Trials
2 My brethren, (B)count it all joy (C)when you fall into various trials, 3 (D)knowing that the testing of your faith produces [a]patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be [b]perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5 (E)If any of you lacks wisdom, (F)let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and (G)it will be given to him. 6 (H)But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is (I)a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
The Perspective of Rich and Poor
9 Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation, 10 but the rich in his humiliation, because (J)as a flower of the field he will pass away. 11 For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits.
Loving God Under Trials
12 (K)Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive (L)the crown of life (M)which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. 15 Then, (N)when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, (O)brings forth death.
16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. 17 (P)Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, (Q)with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. 18 (R)Of His own will He brought us forth by the (S)word of truth, (T)that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.
Qualities Needed in Trials
19 [c]So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, (U)slow to speak, (V)slow to wrath; 20 for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
Doers—Not Hearers Only
21 Therefore (W)lay aside all filthiness and [d]overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, (X)which is able to save your souls.
22 But (Y)be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For (Z)if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But (AA)he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, (AB)this one will be blessed in what he does.
26 If anyone [e]among you thinks he is religious, and (AC)does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless. 27 (AD)Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: (AE)to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, (AF)and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
Footnotes
- James 1:3 endurance or perseverance
- James 1:4 mature
- James 1:19 NU Know this or This you know
- James 1:21 abundance
- James 1:26 NU omits among you
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
