1 J ames, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad: Greetings. Profiting from Trials

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.

2 M y brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,

My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

3 k nowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.

knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

4 B ut let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

5 I f any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

6 B ut let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.

But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

7 F or let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;

For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

8 h e is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. The Perspective of Rich and Poor

A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

9 L et the lowly brother glory in his exaltation,

Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:

10 b ut the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away.

but the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.

11 F or no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits. Loving God Under Trials

For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.

12 B lessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

13 L et no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.

Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:

14 B ut each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.

but every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

15 T hen, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.

Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

16 D o not be deceived, my beloved brethren.

Do not err, my beloved brethren.

17 E very good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

18 O f His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures. Qualities Needed in Trials

Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

19 S o then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath;

Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:

20 f or the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Doers—Not Hearers Only

for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

21 T herefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

22 B ut be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

23 F or if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror;

For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:

24 f or he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.

for he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.

25 B ut he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

26 I f anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless.

If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.

27 P ure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.