James 1:19–27

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