1:1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings.
1:2 My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy,
1:3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance;
1:4 and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing.
1:5 If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given you.
1:6 But ask in faith, never doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind;
1:7 for the doubter, being double-minded and unstable in every way, must not expect to receive anything from the Lord.
1:8 for the doubter, being double-minded and unstable in every way, must not expect to receive anything from the Lord.
1:9 Let the believer who is lowly boast in being raised up,
1:10 and the rich in being brought low, because the rich will disappear like a flower in the field.
1:11 For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the field; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. It is the same way with the rich; in the midst of a busy life, they will wither away.
1:12 Blessed is anyone who endures temptation. Such a one has stood the test and will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.
1:13 No one, when tempted, should say, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil and he himself tempts no one.
1:14 But one is tempted by one’s own desire, being lured and enticed by it;
1:15 then, when that desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and that sin, when it is fully grown, gives birth to death.
1:17 Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
1:18 In fulfillment of his own purpose he gave us birth by the word of truth, so that we would become a kind of first fruits of his creatures.
1:19 You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger;
1:20 for your anger does not produce God’s righteousness.
1:21 Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls.
1:22 But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves.
1:23 For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror;
1:24 for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like.
1:25 But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act—they will be blessed in their doing.
1:26 If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless.
1:27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.
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