^1aJames, a ^bbond-servant of God and ^cof the Lord Jesus Christ,

To ^dthe twelve Hebrew tribes ^escattered abroad among the Gentiles in the dispersion: ^fGreetings (rejoice) !

2 ^aConsider it nothing but joy, my ¹brothers and sisters, whenever you fall into ^bvarious trials. 3 Be assured that ^athe testing of your ^bfaith through experience produces ^cendurance leading to spiritual maturity, and inner peace. 4 And let ^aendurance have its perfect result and do a thorough work, so that you may be ^bperfect and completely developed in your faith, lacking in nothing.

5 If any of you ^alacks wisdom to guide him through a decision or circumstance, he is to ask of our benevolent God, who gives to everyone generously and without rebuke or blame, and ^bit will be given to him. 6 But he must ^aask for wisdom in faith, ^bwithout doubting God’s willingness to help, for the one who doubts is like a billowing surge of the sea that is ^cblown about and tossed by the wind. 7 For such a person ought not to think or expect that he will receive anything at all from the Lord, 8 being a ^adouble-minded man, ^bunstable and restless in all his ways in everything he thinks, feels, or decides.

9 ^aLet the brother in humble circumstances glory in his high position as a born-again believer, called to the true riches and to be an heir of God; 10 and the rich man is to glory in being humbled by trials revealing human frailty, knowing true riches are found in the grace of God, for ^alike the flower of the grass he will pass away. 11 For the sun rises with ^aa scorching wind and ^bwithers the grass; its flower falls off and ¹its beauty fades away; so too will the rich man, in the midst of his pursuits, fade away. Is 40:6, 7

12 ^aBlessed happy, spiritually prosperous, favored by God is the man who is steadfast under trial and perseveres when tempted; for when he has passed the test and been approved, he will receive ^bthe victor’s crown of life which the Lord ^chas promised to those who ^dlove Him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “^aI am being tempted by God” for temptation does not originate from God, but from our own flaws; for God cannot be tempted by what is evil, and He Himself tempts no one. 14 But each one is tempted when he is dragged away, enticed and baited to commit sin by his own worldly desire (lust, passion) . 15 Then ^awhen the illicit desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when ^bsin has run its course, it gives birth to death. 16 ^aDo not be misled, ^bmy beloved brothers and sisters. 17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is ^afrom above; it comes down from ^bthe Father of lights the Creator and Sustainer of the heavens, ^cin whom there is no variation no rising or setting or shadow ¹cast by His turning for He is perfect and never changes. 18 It was of ^aHis own will that He ^bgave us birth as His children by ^cthe word of truth, so that we would be a kind of ^dfirst fruits of His creatures a prime example of what He created to be set apart to Himself—sanctified, made holy for His divine purposes.

19 ^aUnderstand this, ^bmy beloved brothers and sisters. Let everyone be quick to hear be a careful, thoughtful listener, ^cslow to speak a speaker of carefully chosen words and, ^dslow to anger patient, reflective, forgiving; 20 for ^athe resentful, deep-seated anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God that standard of behavior which He requires from us. 21 So ^aget rid of all uncleanness and ¹all that remains of wickedness, and with a humble spirit receive ^bthe word of God which is implanted actually rooted in your heart, which is able to save your souls. 22 ^aBut prove yourselves doers of the word actively and continually obeying God’s precepts, and not merely listeners who hear the word but fail to internalize its meaning, deluding yourselves by unsound reasoning contrary to the truth. 23 For if anyone only listens to the word ¹without obeying it, he is like a man who looks very carefully at his natural face ^ain a mirror; 24 for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he immediately forgets ¹what he looked like. 25 But he who looks carefully into the perfect law, ^athe law of liberty, and faithfully abides by it, not having become a careless listener who forgets but ¹an active doer who obeys, he will be ^bblessed and favored by God in what he does in his life of obedience.

26 If anyone thinks himself to be religious scrupulously observant of the rituals of his faith, and does not ^acontrol his tongue but deludes his own heart, this person’s religion is worthless (futile, barren) . 27 Pure and unblemished religion as it is expressed in outward acts ^ain the sight of our God and Father is this: to ^bvisit and look after the ^cfatherless and the widows in their distress, and to keep oneself uncontaminated by ^dthe secular world.