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 神和主耶稣基督的仆人雅各， 向散居各地的十二支派问安。

2 我的弟兄们， 你们遭遇各种试炼的时候， 都要看为喜乐；

3 因为知道你们的信心经过考验， 就产生忍耐。

4 但忍耐要坚持到底（"坚持到底"原文作"有完全的功效"）， 使你们可以完全， 毫无缺乏。

5 你们中间若有人缺少智慧， 就当向那厚赐众人， 而且不斥责人的 神祈求， 他就必得着。

6 可是， 他应该凭着信心祈求， 不要有疑惑； 因为疑惑的人， 就像被风吹荡翻腾的海浪。

7 那样的人， 不要想从主得到什么；

8 因为三心两意的人， 在他的一切道路上， 都摇摆不定。

9 卑微的弟兄应当以高升为荣；

10 富足的也不应该以降卑为辱； 因为他如同草上的花， 必要过去。

11 太阳一出， 热风一吹， 草必枯干， 花必凋谢， 它的美容就消失了； 富足的人也必在他的奔波经营中这样衰落。

12 能忍受试炼的人， 是有福的； 因为他经过考验之后， 必得着生命的冠冕， 这冠冕是主应许给爱他的人的。

13 人被试探， 不可说"我被 神试探"； 因为 神不能被恶试探， 他也不试探任何人。

14 每一个人受试探， 都是被自己的私欲所勾引诱惑的。

15 私欲怀了胎， 就生出罪； 罪长成了， 就产生死亡。

16 我亲爱的弟兄们， 不要看错了。

17 各样美好的赏赐， 各样完备的恩赐， 都是从上面、从众光之父降下来的， 他本身并没有改变， 也没有转动的影子。

18 他凭着自己的旨意， 借着真理的道生了我们， 使我们作他所造的万物中初熟的果子。

19 我亲爱的弟兄们， 你们要知道， 人人都应该快快地听， 慢慢地说， 慢一点动怒；

20 因为人的忿怒并不能成全 神的义。

21 所以你们应当摆脱一切污秽和所有的邪恶， 以温柔的心领受 神栽种的道； 这道能救你们的灵魂。

22 你们应该作行道的人， 不要单作听道的人， 自己欺骗自己；

23 因为人若只作听道的人， 不作行道的人， 他就像一个人对着镜子看自己本来的面貌，

24 看过走开以后， 马上就忘记自己的样子。

25 唯有详细察看那使人自由的全备的律法， 并且时常遵守的人， 他不是听了就忘记， 而是实行出来， 就必因自己所作的蒙福。

26 如果有人自以为虔诚， 却不约束他的舌头， 反而自己欺骗自己， 这人的虔诚是没有用的。

27 在父 神看来， 纯洁无玷污的虔诚， 就是照顾患难中的孤儿寡妇， 并且保守自己不被世俗所污染。