James 1

1James,^a a servant of God^b and of the Lord Jesus Christ,

To the twelve tribes^c scattered^d among the nations:

Greetings.^e

Trials and Temptations

²Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,^a whenever you face trials of many kinds,^{f 3}because you know that the testing of your faith^g produces perseverance.^{h 4}Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be matureⁱ and complete, not lacking anything. ⁵If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God,^j who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.^{k 6}But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt,^l because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. ⁷That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. ⁸Such a person is double-minded^m and unstableⁿ in all they do.

⁹Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position.^{o 10}But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower.^{p 11}For the sun rises with scorching heat^q and withers^r the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed.^s In the same way, the rich will fade away even while they go about their business.

¹²Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial^t because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life^u that the Lord has promised to those who love him.^v

¹³When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; ¹⁴but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own^w evil desire and enticed. ¹⁵Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin;^x and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.^y

¹⁶Don’t be deceived,^z my dear brothers and sisters.^{a 17}Every good and perfect gift is from above,^b coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights,^c who does not change^d like shifting shadows. ¹⁸He chose to give us birth^e through the word of truth,^f that we might be a kind of firstfruits^g of all he created.

Listening and Doing

¹⁹My dear brothers and sisters,^h take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speakⁱ and slow to become angry, ²⁰because human anger^j does not produce the righteousness that God desires. ²¹Therefore, get rid of^k all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you,^l which can save you.

²²Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.^{m 23}Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror ²⁴and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. ²⁵But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom,ⁿ and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.^o

²⁶Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues^p deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. ²⁷Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after^q orphans and widows^r in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.^s