1:1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greeting.
1:1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings.

1:2 Count it all joy, my brethren, when you meet various trials,
1:2 My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy,

1:3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
1:3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance;

1:4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
1:4 and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing.

1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives to all men generously and without reproaching, and it will be given him.
1:5 If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given you.

1:6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.
1:6 But ask in faith, never doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind;

1:7 For that person must not suppose that a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways, will receive anything from the Lord.
1:7 for the doubter, being double-minded and unstable in every way, must not expect to receive anything from the Lord.

1:8 (included in verse 7)
1:8

1:9 Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation,
1:9 Let the believer who is lowly boast in being raised up,

1:10 and the rich in his humiliation, because like the flower of the grass he will pass away.
1:10 and the rich in being brought low, because the rich will disappear like a flower in the field.

1:11 For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.
1:11 For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the field; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. It is the same way with the rich; in the midst of a busy life, they will wither away.

1:12 Blessed is the man who endures trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life which God has promised to those who love him.
1:12 Blessed is anyone who endures temptation. Such a one has stood the test and will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

1:13 Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted with evil and he himself tempts no one;
1:13 No one, when tempted, should say, "I am being tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil and he himself tempts no one.

1:14 but each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.
1:14 But one is tempted by one's own desire, being lured and enticed by it;

1:15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin; and sin when it is full-grown brings forth death.
1:15 then, when that desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and that sin, when it is fully grown, gives birth to death.

1:16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.
1:16 Do not be deceived, my beloved.

1:17 Every good endowment and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
1:17 Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

1:18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.
1:18 In fulfillment of his own purpose he gave us birth by the word of truth, so that we would become a kind of first fruits of his creatures.

1:19 Know this, my beloved brethren. Let every man be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger,
1:19 You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger;

1:20 for the anger of man does not work the righteousness of God.
1:20 for your anger does not produce God's righteousness.

1:21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rank growth of wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
1:21 Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls.

1:22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
1:22 But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves.

1:23 For if any one is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who observes his natural face in a mirror;
1:23 For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror;

1:24 for he observes himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.
1:24 for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like.

1:25 But he who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer that forgets but a doer that acts, he shall be blessed in his doing.
1:25 But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act--they will be blessed in their doing.

1:26 If any one thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this man's religion is vain.
1:26 If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless.

1:27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.
1:27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.