James 1:19-27

English Standard Version

Hearing and Doing the Word

^19 (A)Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person ^(B)be quick to hear, ^(C)slow to speak, ^(D)slow to anger; ²⁰ for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. ²¹ Therefore ^(E)put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with ^(F)meekness the implanted word, ^(G)which is able to save your souls.

²² But be ^(H)doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. ²³ For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. ²⁴ For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. ²⁵ But the one who looks into the perfect law, ^(I)the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, ^(J)he will be blessed in his doing.

²⁶ If anyone thinks he is religious ^(K)and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's ^(L)religion is worthless. ²⁷ Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: ^(M)to visit ^(N)orphans and widows in their affliction, and ^(O)to keep oneself ^(P)unstained from the world.