1 James, bondman of God and of {the} Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which {are} in the dispersion, greeting.2 Count it all joy, my brethren, when ye fall into various temptations,3 knowing that the proving of your faith works endurance.4 But let endurance have {its} perfect work, that ye may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.5 But if any one of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all freely and reproaches not, and it shall be given to him:6 but let him ask in faith, nothing doubting. For he that doubts is like a wave of the sea driven by the wind and tossed about;7 for let not that man think that he shall receive anything from the Lord;8 {he is} a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.9 But let the brother of low degree glory in his elevation,10 and the rich in his humiliation, because as {the} grass's flower he will pass away.11 For the sun has risen with its burning heat, and has withered the grass, and its flower has fallen, and the comeliness of its look has perished: thus the rich also shall wither in his goings.12 Blessed {is the} man who endures temptation; for, having been proved, he shall receive the crown of life, which He has promised to them that love him.13 Let no man, being tempted, say, I am tempted of God. For God cannot be tempted by evil things, and himself tempts no one.14 But every one is tempted, drawn away, and enticed by his own lust;15 then lust, having conceived, gives birth to sin; but sin fully completed brings forth death.16 Do not err, my beloved brethren.17 Every good gift and every perfect gift comes down from above, from the Father of lights, with whom is no variation nor shadow of turning.18 According to his own will begat he us by the word of truth, that we should be a certain first-fruits of *his* creatures.19 So that, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath;20 for man's wrath does not work God's righteousness.21 Wherefore, laying aside all filthiness and abounding of wickedness, accept with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.22 But be ye doers of {the} word and not hearers only, beguiling yourselves.23 For if any man be a hearer of {the} word and not a doer, *he* is like to a man considering his natural face in a mirror:24 for he has considered himself and is gone away, and straightway he has forgotten what he was like.25 But *he* that fixes his view on {the} perfect law, that of liberty, and abides in {it}, being not a forgetful hearer but a doer of {the} work, *he* shall be blessed in his doing.26 If any one think himself to be religious, not bridling his tongue, but deceiving his heart, this man's religion is vain.27 Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

1 Jakobus, 'n dienskneg van God en die Here Jesus Christus, aan die twaalf stamme wat in die verstrooiing is: Groete!2 Ag dit louter vreugde, my broeders, wanneer julle in allerhande versoekinge val,3 omdat julle weet dat die beproewing van julle geloof lydsaamheid bewerk.4 Maar die lydsaamheid moet tot volle verwerkliking kom, sodat julle volmaak en sonder gebrek kan wees en in niks kortkom nie.5 En as iemand van julle wysheid kortkom, laat hom dit van God bid, wat aan almal eenvoudig gee sonder om te verwyt, en dit sal aan hom gegee word.6 Maar hy moet in die geloof bid, sonder om te twyfel; want hy wat twyfel, is soos 'n golf van die see wat deur die wind gedrywe en voortgesweep word.7 Want die mens moenie dink dat hy iets van die Here sal ontvang nie --8 so 'n dubbelhartige man, onbestendig in al sy weë.9 Maar laat die broeder wat gering is, roem in sy hoogheid,10 en die ryke in sy geringheid, want soos 'n blom van die gras sal hy verbygaan.11 Want die son gaan op met sy hitte en laat die gras verdor, en sy blom val af, en die sierlikheid van sy gedaante vergaan; so sal die ryke ook in sy weë verwelk.12 Salig is die man wat versoeking verdra, want as hy die toets deurstaan het, sal hy die kroon van die lewe ontvang wat die Here beloof het aan die wat Hom liefhet.13 Laat niemand, as hy in versoeking kom, sê: Ek word deur God versoek nie. Want God kan deur die kwaad nie versoek word nie, en self versoek Hy niemand nie.14 Maar elkeen word versoek as hy deur sy eie begeerlikheid weggesleep en verlok word.15 Daarna, as die begeerlikheid ontvang het, baar dit sonde; en as die sonde tot volle ontwikkeling gekom het, bring dit die dood voort.16 Moenie dwaal nie, my geliefde broeders.17 Elke goeie gif en elke volmaakte gawe daal van bo af neer, van die Vader van die ligte, by wie daar geen verandering of skaduwee van omkering is nie.18 Volgens sy wil het Hy ons voortgebring deur die woord van die waarheid, sodat ons as eerstelinge van sy skepsele kan wees.19 So dan, my geliefde broeders, elke mens moet gou wees om te hoor, stadig om te praat, stadig om toornig te word.20 Want die toorn van 'n man bewerk nie die geregtigheid voor God nie.21 Daarom, doen afstand van alle vuiligheid en oorvloed van boosheid, en ontvang met sagmoedigheid die ingeplante woord, wat in staat is om julle siele te red.22 En word daders van die woord en nie net hoorders wat julleself bedrieg nie.23 Want as iemand 'n hoorder van die woord is en nie 'n dader nie, die is soos 'n man wat sy natuurlike gesig in 'n spieël sien;24 want hy sien homself en gaan weg en vergeet dadelik hoe hy gelyk het.25 Maar hy wat diep insien in die volmaakte wet van die vryheid en daarby bly, hy sal, omdat hy nie 'n vergeetagtige hoorder is nie, maar 'n dader van die werk, gelukkig wees in wat hy doen.26 As iemand onder julle meen dat hy godsdienstig is en sy tong nie in toom hou nie, maar sy hart mislei, die godsdiens van hierdie man is tevergeefs.27 Reine en onbesmette godsdiens voor God en die Vader is d¡t: om wese en weduwees in hulle verdrukking te besoek en jouself vlekkeloos te bewaar van die wêreld.