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.

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.

The Parable of the Mustard Seed^(A)

^18 (B)Then He said, “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? ¹⁹ It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and put in his garden; and it grew and became a ^[a]large tree, and the birds of the air nested in its branches.”

The Parable of the Leaven^(C)

²⁰ And again He said, “To what shall I liken the kingdom of God? ²¹ It is like ^[b]leaven, which a woman took and hid in three ^(D)measures^[c] of meal till it was all leavened.”

The Narrow Way^(E)

^22 (F)And He went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem. ²³ Then one said to Him, “Lord, are there ^(G)few who are saved?”

And He said to them, ^24 (H)“Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for ^(I)many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. ^25 (J)When once the Master of the house has risen up and ^(K)shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, ^(L)‘Lord, Lord, open for us,’ and He will answer and say to you, ^(M)‘I do not know you, where you are from,’ ²⁶ then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.’ ^27 (N)But He will say, ‘I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. ^(O)Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.’ ^28 (P)There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, ^(Q)when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out. ²⁹ They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of God. ^30 (R)And indeed there are last who will be first, and there are first who will be last.”

^31 [d]On that very day some Pharisees came, saying to Him, “Get out and depart from here, for Herod wants to kill You.”

³² And He said to them, “Go, tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day ^(S)I shall be ^[e]perfected.’ ³³ Nevertheless I must journey today, tomorrow, and the day following; for it cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem.

Jesus Laments over Jerusalem^(T)

^34 (U)“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing! ³⁵ See! ^(V)Your house is left to you desolate; and ^[f]assuredly, I say to you, you shall not see Me until the time comes when you say, ^(W)‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ”