James 1:2–18

TRIALS AND MATURITY

²Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials,^{f 3}because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. ⁴And let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.

⁵Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God—who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly—and it will be given to him.^{g 6}But let him ask in faith without doubting.^B For the doubter is like the surging sea, driven and tossed by the wind. ⁷That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord, ⁸being double-minded and unstable in all his ways.^Ch

⁹Let the brother of humble circumstances boast in his exaltation, ¹⁰but let the rich boast in his humiliation because he will pass away like a flower of the field.^{i 11}For the sun rises and, together with the scorching wind, dries up the grass; its flower falls off, and its beautiful appearance perishes. In the same way, the rich person will wither away while pursuing his activities.^j

¹²Blessed is the one who endures trials, because when he has stood the test he will receive the crown^k of life that God^D has promised to those who love him.^l

¹³No one undergoing a trial should say, “I am being tempted by God,” since God is not tempted by evil, and he himself doesn’t tempt anyone. ¹⁴But each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own evil desire.^{m 15}Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death.ⁿ

¹⁶Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters.^{o 17}Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.^{p 18}By his own choice, he gave us birth by the word of truth so that we would be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.^q