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
King James Version
1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.
2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:
10 But the rich, in that he is made low: 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 withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.
12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
16 Do not err, my beloved brethren.
17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.
27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
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