Book of Common Prayer

1 I am James. I am a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. I send greetings to all of God's people wherever they live.

² My brothers, be very happy when you are tested by having troubles of many kinds.

³ You know this, that when you prove you believe, you become stronger to take troubles.

⁴ But you must keep on being strong to take trouble. Then you will be all right in every way. You will not need anything more.

⁵ If any of you need to be wise, ask God to make you wise. He gives plenty of wisdom to all people. He is not angry because you ask him. He will make you wise.

⁶ But when you ask, you must believe that God will do it. You must not doubt and think, `Perhaps God will not do it.' A person who doubts is like a wave on the sea. The wind drives it this way and that way.

⁷ That person must not think that he will get anything from the Lord.

⁸ A person like that has two minds. He cannot go straight in any of his ways.

⁹ A Christian brother who is poor should be glad: he is in a high place now he is a Christian.

¹⁰ A Christian brother who is rich should be glad: he is in a low place now he is a Christian. A rich man will pass away like a flower on the grass.

¹¹ The sun shines and is very hot. Then the grass dries and its flower falls off. It was nice at first, but now it is not nice any more. In the same way, the rich man will die while he is going around trying to make money.

¹² God will bless any man who is strong to take his trouble, when he is being tested. When he has proved he is strong, he will live for ever. That is what the Lord has promised to those who love him.

¹³ No one who wants to do something wrong should say, `God is trying to make me do this wrong thing.' God cannot do anything wrong.

¹⁴ It is their own heart which is wrong. That is why he wants to do something wrong. It fools him.

¹⁵ Then the wrong in his heart makes him do the wrong thing. And the wrong thing he has done leads to death.

¹⁸ One day Jesus was alone talking to God. His disciples were there too. He asked them, `Who do people say I am?'

¹⁹ They answered, `Some people say you are John the Baptizer. Others say you are Elijah. And others say that one of the old prophets of God has risen from death.'

²⁰ Jesus said, `But who do you say I am?' Peter answered, `You are the Christ sent by God.'

²¹ Jesus said to them, `Do not tell this to anyone.'

²² Then he went on to say, `The Son of Man will have much trouble. The leaders of the people, the chief priests, and the scribes will not believe him. He will be killed. On the third day he will be raised from death.'

²³ And He said to all the people, `If anyone wants to come with me, he must leave what he himself wants to do. Every day he must take up his cross [be ready to die] and come with me.

²⁴ Anyone who tries to keep his life will lose it. And anyone who gives up his life for my sake will find it.

²⁵ What good will it do a man if he gets the whole world for himself but loses his life or spoils it?

²⁶ If anyone is ashamed of me and the things I say, the Son of man will be ashamed of that person when he comes. The Son of man will come with his holy angels and be great like his Father.

²⁷ I tell you the truth. Some people are standing here who will not die before they see the kingdom of God.'