Book of Common Prayer

1 James, a slave of God and the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes in the dispersion: Greetings.

Endure Your Trials With Joy, Asking God For Wisdom And Viewing Life From His Standpoint

² Regard it all joy, my brothers, whenever you fall-into^[a] various trials, ³ knowing that the testing of your faith is producing endurance. ⁴ And let endurance be having its complete^[b] work in order that you may be complete and whole, lacking in nothing. ⁵ And if any of you is lacking wisdom, let him be asking from the God giving generously to all and not reproaching^[c], and it will be given to him. ⁶ But let him be asking in faith, not doubting^[d] at all. For the one doubting is like a surge of the sea being blown-by-wind and tossed. ⁷ For let that person not be supposing that he will receive anything from the Lord— ⁸ a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. ⁹ And let the lowly^[e] brother be boasting in his height, ¹⁰ and the rich one in his lowliness, because he will pass-away like a flower of grass. ¹¹ For the sun rose with the burning-heat and dried-up the grass, and its flower fell-off and the beauty of its appearance perished. In this manner also the rich one will fade-away in his pursuits. ¹² Blessed^[f] is the man who endures the trial, because having become^[g] approved, he will receive the crown of ^[h] life which He promised to the ones loving Him.

But Temptation To Evil Comes From Within, Not From God

¹³ Let no one being tempted be saying that “I am being tempted by^[i] God”. For God is not-tempted by evils. And He Himself tempts no one, ¹⁴ but each one is tempted by^[j] his own desire while being drawn-away^[k] and enticed^[l]. ¹⁵ Then the desire, having conceived, gives-birth to sin. And the sin, having been fully-formed^[m], brings-forth death.

Parables For Sinners And Pharisees

15 Now all the tax-collectors and the sinners were drawing-near to Him to hear Him. ² And both the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling, saying that “This One is welcoming sinners and eating with them”.

The Prodigal Son: The Father Rejoices When His Lost Son Returns

¹¹ And He said, “A certain man had two sons. ¹² And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the part of your substance^[a] falling to me’. And the one distributed^[b] his property to them. ¹³ And after not many days, having gathered together everything, the younger son went-on-a-journey to a distant country. And there he squandered his substance living wildly. ¹⁴ And he having spent everything, a severe famine came about in relation to that country, and he began to be-in-need. ¹⁵ And having gone, he joined himself to one of the citizens of that country. And he sent him into his fields to feed pigs. ¹⁶ And he was desiring to be filled-to-satisfaction with the carob-pods which the pigs were eating. And no one was giving anything to him. ¹⁷ But having come to himself, he said, ‘How many hired-workers of my father are abounding^[c] with bread, but I am perishing^[d] here in a famine! ¹⁸ Having arisen, I will proceed to my father and say to him, “Father, I sinned against heaven and in your sight. ¹⁹ I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me as one of your hired-workers”’. ²⁰ And having arisen, he went to his father. But he still being far distant, his father saw him and felt-deep-feelings [of love]. And having run, he fell upon his neck and kissed him. ²¹ And the son said to him, ‘Father, I sinned against heaven and in your sight. I am no longer worthy to be called your son’. ²² But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly, bring-out the best robe and put it on him. And give him a ring for his hand and sandals for the feet. ²³ And bring the fatted calf. Slaughter it. And having eaten, let us celebrate! ²⁴ Because this son of mine was dead, and he became-alive-again. He had become-lost, and he was found’. And they began to celebrate.

The Older Brother Is Angered By His Father’s Joy

²⁵ “Now his older son was in the field. And when while coming he drew-near to the house, he heard music and dancing. ²⁶ And having summoned one of the servants, he was inquiring as to what these things might be. ²⁷ And the one said to him that ‘Your brother has come. And your father slaughtered the fatted calf because he received him back being healthy’. ²⁸ And he became-angry, and was not willing to go in. And his father, having come out, was appealing-to him. ²⁹ But the one, having responded, said to his father, ‘Behold— I am slaving for you for so many years, and I never disregarded your command. And you never gave me a goat in order that I might celebrate with my friends. ³⁰ But when this son of yours came— the one having devoured your property with prostitutes— you slaughtered the fatted calf for him!’ ³¹ And the one said to him, ‘Child, you are always with me, and all my things are yours. ³² But it-was-necessary to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead, and he became-alive. And he had become-lost, and he was found’”.