Greeting to the Twelve Tribes

James, (A)a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,

To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad:

Greetings.

Profiting from Trials

My brethren, (B)count it all joy (C)when you fall into various trials, (D)knowing that the testing of your faith produces [a]patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be [b]perfect and complete, lacking nothing. (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. (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. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is (I)a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

The Perspective of Rich and Poor

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.

Notas al pie

  1. James 1:3 endurance or perseverance
  2. James 1:4 mature
  3. James 1:19 NU Know this or This you know
  4. James 1:21 abundance
  5. James 1:26 NU omits among you

ιακωβος θεου και κυριου ιησου χριστου δουλος ταις δωδεκα φυλαις ταις εν τη διασπορα χαιρειν

πασαν χαραν ηγησασθε αδελφοι μου οταν πειρασμοις περιπεσητε ποικιλοις

γινωσκοντες οτι το δοκιμιον υμων της πιστεως κατεργαζεται υπομονην

η δε υπομονη εργον τελειον εχετω ινα ητε τελειοι και ολοκληροι εν μηδενι λειπομενοι

ει δε τις υμων λειπεται σοφιας αιτειτω παρα του διδοντος θεου πασιν απλως και μη ονειδιζοντος και δοθησεται αυτω

αιτειτω δε εν πιστει μηδεν διακρινομενος ο γαρ διακρινομενος εοικεν κλυδωνι θαλασσης ανεμιζομενω και ριπιζομενω

μη γαρ οιεσθω ο ανθρωπος εκεινος οτι ληψεται τι παρα του κυριου

ανηρ διψυχος ακαταστατος εν πασαις ταις οδοις αυτου

καυχασθω δε ο αδελφος ο ταπεινος εν τω υψει αυτου

10 ο δε πλουσιος εν τη ταπεινωσει αυτου οτι ως ανθος χορτου παρελευσεται

11 ανετειλεν γαρ ο ηλιος συν τω καυσωνι και εξηρανεν τον χορτον και το ανθος αυτου εξεπεσεν και η ευπρεπεια του προσωπου αυτου απωλετο ουτως και ο πλουσιος εν ταις πορειαις αυτου μαρανθησεται

12 μακαριος ανηρ ος υπομενει πειρασμον οτι δοκιμος γενομενος ληψεται τον στεφανον της ζωης ον επηγγειλατο ο κυριος τοις αγαπωσιν αυτον

13 μηδεις πειραζομενος λεγετω οτι απο του θεου πειραζομαι ο γαρ θεος απειραστος εστιν κακων πειραζει δε αυτος ουδενα

14 εκαστος δε πειραζεται υπο της ιδιας επιθυμιας εξελκομενος και δελεαζομενος

15 ειτα η επιθυμια συλλαβουσα τικτει αμαρτιαν η δε αμαρτια αποτελεσθεισα αποκυει θανατον

16 μη πλανασθε αδελφοι μου αγαπητοι

17 πασα δοσις αγαθη και παν δωρημα τελειον ανωθεν εστιν καταβαινον απο του πατρος των φωτων παρ ω ουκ ενι παραλλαγη η τροπης αποσκιασμα

18 βουληθεις απεκυησεν ημας λογω αληθειας εις το ειναι ημας απαρχην τινα των αυτου κτισματων

19 ωστε αδελφοι μου αγαπητοι εστω πας ανθρωπος ταχυς εις το ακουσαι βραδυς εις το λαλησαι βραδυς εις οργην

20 οργη γαρ ανδρος δικαιοσυνην θεου ου κατεργαζεται

21 διο αποθεμενοι πασαν ρυπαριαν και περισσειαν κακιας εν πραυτητι δεξασθε τον εμφυτον λογον τον δυναμενον σωσαι τας ψυχας υμων

22 γινεσθε δε ποιηται λογου και μη μονον ακροαται παραλογιζομενοι εαυτους

23 οτι ει τις ακροατης λογου εστιν και ου ποιητης ουτος εοικεν ανδρι κατανοουντι το προσωπον της γενεσεως αυτου εν εσοπτρω

24 κατενοησεν γαρ εαυτον και απεληλυθεν και ευθεως επελαθετο οποιος ην

25 ο δε παρακυψας εις νομον τελειον τον της ελευθεριας και παραμεινας ουτος ουκ ακροατης επιλησμονης γενομενος αλλα ποιητης εργου ουτος μακαριος εν τη ποιησει αυτου εσται

26 ει τις δοκει θρησκος ειναι εν υμιν μη χαλιναγωγων γλωσσαν αυτου αλλ απατων καρδιαν αυτου τουτου ματαιος η θρησκεια

27 θρησκεια καθαρα και αμιαντος παρα τω θεω και πατρι αυτη εστιν επισκεπτεσθαι ορφανους και χηρας εν τη θλιψει αυτων ασπιλον εαυτον τηρειν απο του κοσμου

James, of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ a servant, to the Twelve Tribes who are in the dispersion: Hail!

All joy count [it], my brethren, when ye may fall into temptations manifold;

knowing that the proof of your faith doth work endurance,

and let the endurance have a perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire -- in nothing lacking;

and if any of you do lack wisdom, let him ask from God, who is giving to all liberally, and not reproaching, and it shall be given to him;

and let him ask in faith, nothing doubting, for he who is doubting hath been like a wave of the sea, driven by wind and tossed,

for let not that man suppose that he shall receive anything from the Lord --

a two-souled man [is] unstable in all his ways.

And let the brother who is low rejoice in his exaltation,

10 and the rich in his becoming low, because as a flower of grass he shall pass away;

11 for the sun did rise with the burning heat, and did wither the grass, and the flower of it fell, and the grace of its appearance did perish, so also the rich in his way shall fade away!

12 Happy the man who doth endure temptation, because, becoming approved, he shall receive the crown of the life, which the Lord did promise to those loving Him.

13 Let no one say, being tempted -- `From God I am tempted,' for God is not tempted of evil, and Himself doth tempt no one,

14 and each one is tempted, by his own desires being led away and enticed,

15 afterward the desire having conceived, doth give birth to sin, and the sin having been perfected, doth bring forth death.

16 Be not led astray, my brethren beloved;

17 every good giving, and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the lights, with whom is no variation, or shadow of turning;

18 having counselled, He did beget us with a word of truth, for our being a certain first-fruit of His creatures.

19 So then, my brethren beloved, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger,

20 for the wrath of a man the righteousness of God doth not work;

21 wherefore having put aside all filthiness and superabundance of evil, in meekness be receiving the engrafted word, that is able to save your souls;

22 and become ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves,

23 because, if any one is a hearer of the word and not a doer, this one hath been like to a man viewing his natural face in a mirror,

24 for he did view himself, and hath gone away, and immediately he did forget of what kind he was;

25 and he who did look into the perfect law -- that of liberty, and did continue there, this one -- not a forgetful hearer becoming, but a doer of work -- this one shall be happy in his doing.

26 If any one doth think to be religious among you, not bridling his tongue, but deceiving his heart, of this one vain [is] the religion;

27 religion pure and undefiled with the God and Father is this, to look after orphans and widows in their tribulation -- unspotted to keep himself from the world.

The Testing of Your Faith

[a](A)James, a (B)bond-servant of God and (C)of the Lord Jesus Christ,

To (D)the twelve tribes who are [b](E)dispersed abroad: (F)Greetings.

(G)Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you encounter (H)various [c]trials, knowing that (I)the testing of your (J)faith produces [d](K)endurance. And let [e](L)endurance have its perfect [f]result, so that you may be [g](M)perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

But if any of you (N)lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and [h]without reproach, and (O)it will be given to him. But he must (P)ask in faith (Q)without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, (R)driven and tossed by the wind. For that person ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a (S)[i]double-minded man, (T)unstable in all his ways.

(U)Now the brother or sister of humble circumstances is to glory in his high position; 10 but the rich person is to glory in his [j]humiliation, because (V)like [k]flowering grass he will pass away. 11 For the sun rises with (W)its scorching heat and (X)withers the grass; and its flower falls off and the beauty of its appearance is destroyed; so also the rich person, in the midst of his pursuits, will die out.

12 (Y)Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has [l]been approved, he will receive (Z)the crown of life which the Lord (AA)has promised to those who (AB)love Him. 13 No one is to say when he is tempted, “(AC)I am being tempted [m]by God”; for God cannot be tempted [n]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 (AE)sin, when it has run its course, brings forth death. 16 (AF)Do not be [o]deceived, (AG)my beloved brothers and sisters. 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 [p]shifting shadow. 18 In the exercise of (AK)His will He (AL)gave us birth by (AM)the word of truth, so that we would be [q]a kind of (AN)first fruits [r]among His creatures.

19 [s](AO)You know this, (AP)my beloved brothers and sisters. Now everyone must be quick to hear, (AQ)slow to speak, and (AR)slow to anger; 20 for a man’s (AS)anger does not bring about the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore, (AT)ridding yourselves of all filthiness and all [t]that remains of wickedness, in [u]humility receive (AU)the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. 22 (AV)But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not just hearers who deceive themselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his [v]natural face (AW)in a mirror; 24 for once he has looked at himself and gone away, [w]he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. 25 But one who has looked intently at the perfect law, (AX)the law of freedom, and has continued in it, not having become a forgetful hearer but [x]an active doer, this person will be (AY)blessed in [y]what he does.

26 If anyone thinks himself to be religious, yet does not [z](AZ)bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this person’s religion is worthless. 27 Pure and undefiled religion (BA)in the sight of our God and Father is this: to (BB)visit (BC)orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained [aa]by (BD)the world.

Notas al pie

  1. James 1:1 Or Jacob
  2. James 1:1 Lit in the Dispersion
  3. James 1:2 Or temptations
  4. James 1:3 Or steadfastness
  5. James 1:4 Or steadfastness
  6. James 1:4 Lit work
  7. James 1:4 Or mature
  8. James 1:5 Lit does not reproach
  9. James 1:8 I.e., a chronic doubter
  10. James 1:10 Or downfall
  11. James 1:10 Lit the flower of the grass
  12. James 1:12 Or passed the test
  13. James 1:13 Lit from
  14. James 1:13 Lit of evil things
  15. James 1:16 Or misled
  16. James 1:17 Lit shadow of turning
  17. James 1:18 Or a certain first fruits
  18. James 1:18 Lit of
  19. James 1:19 Or Know this
  20. James 1:21 Lit abundance of malice
  21. James 1:21 Or gentleness
  22. James 1:23 Lit the face of his birth; or nature
  23. James 1:24 Lit and he
  24. James 1:25 Lit a doer of a work
  25. James 1:25 Lit his doing
  26. James 1:26 Or control
  27. James 1:27 Lit from