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

To ^dthe twelve tribes who are ^2edispersed abroad: ^fGreetings.

2 ^aConsider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter ^bvarious ¹trials, 3 knowing that ^athe testing of your ^bfaith produces ^1cendurance. 4 And let ^1aendurance have its perfect ²result, so that you may be ^3bperfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

5 But if any of you ^alacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and ¹without reproach, and ^bit will be given to him. 6 But he must ^aask in faith ^bwithout any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, ^cdriven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, 8 being a ^1adouble-minded man, ^bunstable in all his ways.

9 ^aBut the ¹brother of humble circumstances is to glory in his high position; 10 and the rich man is to glory in his humiliation, because ^alike ¹flowering grass he will pass away. 11 For the sun rises with ^1aa scorching wind and ^bwithers the grass; and its flower falls off and the beauty of its appearance is destroyed; so too the rich man in the midst of his pursuits will fade away.

12 ^aBlessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has ¹been approved, he will receive ^bthe 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 ¹by God”; for God cannot be tempted ²by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. 15 Then ^awhen lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when ^bsin ¹is accomplished, it brings forth death. 16 ^aDo not be ¹deceived, ^bmy beloved brethren. 17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is ^afrom above, coming down from ^bthe Father of lights, ^cwith whom there is no variation or ¹shifting shadow. 18 In the exercise of ^aHis will He ^bbrought us forth by ^cthe word of truth, so that we would be ¹a kind of ^dfirst fruits ²among His creatures.

19 ¹This ^ayou know, ^bmy beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, ^cslow to speak and ^dslow to anger; 20 for ^athe anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore, ^aputting aside all filthiness and all ¹that remains of wickedness, in ²humility receive ^bthe word implanted, which is able to save your souls. 22 ^aBut prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his ¹natural face ^ain a mirror; 24 for once he has looked at himself and gone away, ¹he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. 25 But one who looks intently at the perfect law, ^athe law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but ¹an effectual doer, this man will be ^bblessed in ²what he does.

26 If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not ^1abridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is worthless. 27 Pure and undefiled religion ^ain the sight of our God and Father is this: to ^bvisit ^corphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained ¹by ^dthe world.