1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are in the Dispersion: Greetings.

2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you fall into various temptations, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 Let endurance have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, without any doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven by the wind and tossed. 7 For that man shouldn’t think that he will receive anything from the Lord. 8 He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

9 Let the brother in humble circumstances glory in his high position; 10 and the rich, in that he is made humble, because like the flower in the grass, he will pass away. 11 For the sun arises with the scorching wind and withers the grass; and the flower in it falls, and the beauty of its appearance perishes. So the rich man will also fade away in his pursuits.

12 Blessed is a person who endures temptation, for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord promised to those who love him.

13 Let no man say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God," for God can’t be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own lust and enticed. 15 Then the lust, when it has conceived, bears sin. The sin, when it is full grown, produces death. 16 Don’t be deceived, my beloved brothers. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation nor turning shadow. 18 Of his own will he gave birth to us by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.

19 So, then, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man doesn’t produce the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore, putting away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness, receive with humility the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

22 But be doers of the word, and not only hearers, deluding your own selves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man looking at his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he sees himself, and goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But he who looks into the perfect law of freedom and continues, not being a hearer who forgets but a doer of the work, this man will be blessed in what he does.

26 If anyone among you thinks himself to be religious while he doesn’t bridle his tongue, but deceives his heart, this man’s religion is worthless. 27 Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

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.