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. 16 Do not be deceived!
Receive God’s Lifegiving Gift of The Implanted Word With Gentleness Toward Others, Not Anger
My[n] beloved brothers, 17 every good gift-giving[o] and every perfect gift-given is from-above, coming down from the Father of lights[p], with Whom there is no variation[q] or shadow[r] of turning. 18 Having willed[s] it, He brought[t] us forth by the word of truth so that we might be a kind-of firstfruit of His creatures.
It Is Hard For The Rich To Enter. But All Who Leave Anything Will Inherit More
23 And Jesus said to His disciples, “Truly I say to you that a rich one will enter with-difficulty into the kingdom of the heavens. 24 And again I say to you, it is easier that a camel go through a hole of a needle[a] than[b] that a rich one enter into the kingdom of God”. 25 And having heard it, the disciples were extremely astounded, saying, “Who then can be saved?” 26 And having looked at them, Jesus said to them, “With humans, this is impossible. But with God, all things are possible”. 27 Then Peter, having responded, said to Him, “Behold— we left everything and followed You. What then will there be for us?” 28 And Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you that you, the ones having followed Me— at the regeneration[c] when the Son of Man sits on the throne[d] of His glory, you also will sit on twelve thrones, judging[e] the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for the sake of My name will receive a hundred-fold[f], and will inherit eternal life.
The First In This World Will Be Last And The Last Will Be First
30 “But many first[g] ones will be last, and last ones, first.
Disciples' Literal New Testament: Serving Modern Disciples by More Fully Reflecting the Writing Style of the Ancient Disciples, Copyright © 2011 Michael J. Magill. All Rights Reserved. Published by Reyma Publishing