JAMES 1 [†] a James, a servant [1] of God and  b of the Lord Jesus Christ,

To  c the twelve tribes in  d the Dispersion:

Greetings.

2[†] e Count it all joy, my brothers, [2] when you meet trials  f of various kinds, 3[†]for you know that  g the testing of your faith  h produces steadfastness. 4[†]And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be  i perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

5[†] j If any of you lacks wisdom,  k let him ask God,  l who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6[†]But  m let him ask in faith,  n with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like  o a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7[†]For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 p he is a double-minded man,  q unstable in all his ways.

9[†]Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, 10and  r the rich in his humiliation, because  s like a flower of the grass [3] he will pass away. 11For the sun rises with its scorching heat and  t withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.

12[†] u Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive  v the crown of life,  w which God has promised to those who love him. 13[†]Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14[†]But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15[†]Then desire  x when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and  y sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

16Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. 17[†] z Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from  a the Father of lights  b with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. [4] 18[†] c Of his own will he  d brought us forth by the word of truth,  e that we should be a kind of  f firstfruits of his creatures.

19[†] g Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person  h be quick to hear,  i slow to speak,  j slow to anger; 20[†]for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. 21[†]Therefore  k put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with  l meekness the implanted word,  m which is able to save your souls.

22[†]But be  n doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23[†]For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25[†]But the one who looks into the perfect law,  o the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts,  p he will be blessed in his doing.

26[†]If anyone thinks he is religious  q and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s  r religion is worthless. 27Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this:  s to visit  t orphans and widows in their affliction, and  u to keep oneself  v unstained from the world.