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

2 Count it all joy, my brothers,*1:2 The word for "brothers" here and where context allows may also be correctly translated "brothers and sisters" or "siblings." 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.*1:21 or, preserve your life.

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 Jaakobus, Jumala ja Issanda Jeesuse Kristuse sulane,

Kaheteistkümnele rahvaste sekka pillutatud suguharule:

Tervitused.

2 Pidage alati rõõmuks, mu vennad ja õed, kui te satute mitmesugustesse katsumustesse! 3 Te ju teate, et teie usu läbikatsumine teeb teid vastupidavaks. 4 Ja lõpuni vastupidamine teeb teid täiuslikuks ja laitmatuks, ilma ühegi puudujäägita.

5 Aga kui kellelgi teist on puudu tarkusest, siis ta palugu Jumalalt, kes annab heldelt kõigile, tegemata etteheiteid, ja talle antakse. 6 Ent ta palugu usus, kahtlemata, sest kahtleja on nagu merelaine, mida tuul siia-sinna ajab. 7 Selline inimene ärgu arvaku, et ta Issandalt midagi saab. 8 Ta on kõikuva meelega mees, ebakindel kõigis oma ettevõtmistes.

9 Vaene vend kiidelgu oma kõrgest seisusest, 10 aga rikas kiidelgu oma madalusest, sest ta kaob nagu rohuõis. 11 Sest päike tõuseb ja kuumus kuivatab rohu, õis pudeneb ja ta ilu hävib. Nii närtsib ka rikas keset oma tegemisi.

12 Õnnis on mees, kes katsumuses vastu peab. Sest kui ta on läbi katsutud, saab ta võidupärjaks elu, mille Jumal on tõotanud neile, kes teda armastavad.

13 Ärgu keegi kiusatuses olles öelgu: „Jumal kiusab mind!" Sest Jumalat ei kiusata kurjaga ja ka tema ise ei kiusa kedagi. 14 Igaüht kiusab ta oma himu; see peibutab teda ja meelitab lõksu. 15 Kui himu on viljastunud, toob ta ilmale patu, ja kui patt on täide viidud, sünnitab see surma.

16 Ärge laske end eksitada, mu armsad vennad ja õed! 17 Iga hea and ja iga täiuslik kingitus on pärit ülalt, valguste Isalt, kelle juures ei ole muutust ega valguse varjutust. 18 Oma tahte kohaselt on ta meid sünnitanud tõe sõnumi läbi, et oleksime kui esimene viljasaak tema loodute seast.

19 Seda teadke, mu armsad vennad ja õed: iga inimene olgu kärmas kuulama, pikaldane rääkima, pikaldane vihastama! 20 Sest inimese viha ei too õigust Jumala ees. 21 Seepärast pange maha kõik rüvedus ja viimnegi kurjus! Võtke alandlikult omaks teisse istutatud sõna – see suudab päästa teie hinge!

22 Kuid olge sõna tegijad, mitte need, kes üksnes kuulavad ja iseennast petavad. 23 Sest kui keegi sõna kuulab, aga selle järgi ei tee, siis sarnaneb ta mehega, kes näeb peeglist oma tegelikku palet: 24 vaadelnud ennast, läheb ta eemale ja unustab peagi, milline ta on. 25 Aga see, kes uurib vabaduse täiuslikku seadust ega eemaldu sellest, ei ole unustav kuulaja, vaid tegude tegija. See inimene on õnnistatud oma tegudes.

26 Kui keegi arvab end teenivat Jumalat, aga oma keelt ei talitse, siis ta petab iseennast ja tema jumalateenistus on tühine. 27 Puhas ja laitmatu jumalateenistus Jumala, meie Isa ees on hoolitseda vaeslaste ja lesknaiste eest nende viletsuses ning hoida ennast maailmast määrimata.