Book of Common Prayer

He exhorts to rejoice in trouble, to be fervent in prayer with steadfast belief, to look for all good things from above, to forsake all vice, and thankfully to receive the word of God, not only hearing it and speaking of it, but to do thereafter in deed. True religion or devotion: what it is.

1 James, the servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, sends greeting to the twelve tribes which are scattered here and there. 

² My brethren, count it exceeding joy when you fall into various trials, ³ seeing as you know that the trying of your faith brings patience. ⁴ And let patience have her perfect work, so that you may be perfect and sound, lacking nothing.

⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all impartially, and casts no man in the teeth, and it shall be given him. ⁶ But let him ask in faith, and waver not. For he who doubts is like the waves of the sea, tossed with the wind and carried about. ⁷ Neither let that person think that he will receive anything from the Lord. ⁸ A wavering-minded man is unstable in all his ways.

⁹ Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted, ¹⁰ and the rich in that he is made low. For like the flower of the grass, he will vanish away. ¹¹ The sun rises with heat, and the grass withers, and its flower falls away, and the beauty of the appearance of it perishes; even so shall the rich man perish with his abundance.

¹² Happy is the man who endures in temptation, for when he is proved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love him.

¹³ Let no one say when he is tempted, that he is tempted by God. For God tempts not to evil, nor does he tempt anyone, ¹⁴ but every person is tempted, drawn away, and enticed by his own fleshly nature and evil desire. ¹⁵ Then when desire has conceived, she brings forth sin, and sin when it is full-grown brings forth death.

¹⁸ And it so was, as he was apart praying, that his disciples were with him, and he asked them, saying, Who do the people say I am? ¹⁹ They answered and said, John the Baptist, or some say Elijah, and some say one of the old prophets is risen again. ²⁰ He said to them, Who do you say that I am? Peter answered and said, You are the Christ of God. ²¹ And Jesus warned and instructed them that they should tell no one this thing, ²² saying that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be reproved by the elders and by the high priests and scribes, and be slain, and the third day rise again.

²³ And he said to them all, If any person would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow me. ²⁴ Whosoever would save his life shall lose it, but whosoever loses his life for my sake, he will save it. ²⁵ For what does it profit a man to win the whole world, if he loses himself, or runs in harm’s way? ²⁶ For whoever is ashamed of me and of my sayings, of him will the Son of man be ashamed when he comes in his own glory, and in the glory of his Father, and of the holy angels. ²⁷ And I tell you truly, there are some standing here who will not taste of death till they see the kingdom of God.