James 1–2

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

Favoritism Forbidden

2My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious^t Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism.^{u 2}Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. ³If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” ⁴have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges^v with evil thoughts?

⁵Listen, my dear brothers and sisters:^w Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world^x to be rich in faith^y and to inherit the kingdom^z he promised those who love him?^{a 6}But you have dishonored the poor.^b Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court?^{c 7}Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong?

⁸If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,”^ad you are doing right. ⁹But if you show favoritism,^e you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.^{f 10}For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles^g at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.^{h 11}For he who said, “You shall not commit adultery,”^bi also said, “You shall not murder.”^cj If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.

¹²Speak and act as those who are going to be judged^k by the law that gives freedom,^{l 13}because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful.^m Mercy triumphs over judgment.

Faith and Deeds

¹⁴What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds?ⁿ Can such faith save them? ¹⁵Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food.^{o 16}If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?^{p 17}In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.^q

¹⁸But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”

Show me your faith without deeds,^r and I will show you my faith^s by my deeds.^{t 19}You believe that there is one God.^u Good! Even the demons believe that^v—and shudder.

²⁰You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless^d?^{w 21}Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?^{x 22}You see that his faith and his actions were working together,^y and his faith was made complete by what he did.^{z 23}And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,”^ea and he was called God’s friend.^{b 24}You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.

²⁵In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?^{c 26}As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.^d