James

Salutation to speak, slow to anger. 1:20 For human anger

does not accomplish God’s righteousness. 1:21
1:1 From James, a slave of God and the So put away all filth and evil excess and humbly
Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes dispersed welcome the message implanted within you,
abroad. Greetings! which is able to save your souls. 1:22 But be
Joy in Trials sure you live out the message and do not merely
listen to it and so deceive yourselves. 1:23 For if
1:2 My brothers and sisters, consider it noth- someone merely listens to the message and does
ing but joy when you fall into all sorts of trials, not live it out, he is like someone who gazes at
1:3 because you know that the testing of your his own face in a mirror. 1:24 For he gazes at
faith produces endurance. 1:4 And let endurance himself and then goes out and immediately for-
have its perfect effect, so that you will be per- gets what sort of person he was. 1:25 But the
fect and complete, not deficient in anything. 1:5 one who peers into the perfect law of liberty and
But if anyone is deficient in wisdom, he should fixes his attention there, and does not become a
ask God, who gives to all generously and with- forgetful listener but one who lives it out – he
out reprimand, and it will be given to him. 1:6 will be blessed in what he does. 1:26 If someone
But he must ask in faith without doubting, for thinks he is religious yet does not bridle his
the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, tongue, and so deceives his heart, his religion is
blown and tossed around by the wind. 1:7 For futile. 1:27 Pure and undefiled religion before
that person must not suppose that he will re- God the Father is this: to care for orphans and
ceive anything from the Lord, 1:8 since he is a widows in their misfortune and to keep oneself
double-minded individual, unstable in all his unstained by the world.
ways.
1:9 Now the believer of humble means Prejudice and the Law of Love
should take pride in his high position. 1:10 But 2:1 My brothers and sisters, do not show
the rich person’s pride should be in his humilia- prejudice if you possess faith in our glorious
tion, because he will pass away like a wild- Lord Jesus Christ. 2:2 For if someone comes
flower in the meadow. 1:11 For the sun rises into your assembly wearing a gold ring and fine
with its heat and dries up the meadow; the petal clothing, and a poor person enters in filthy
of the flower falls off and its beauty is lost for-clothes, 2:3 do you pay attention to the one who
ever. So also the rich person in the midst of his is finely dressed and say, “You sit here in a
pursuits will wither away. 1:12 Happy is the one good place,” and to the poor person, “You stand
who endures testing, because when he has over there,” or “Sit on the floor”? 2:4 If so, have
proven to be genuine, he will receive the crown you not made distinctions among yourselves
of life that God promised to those who love and become judges with evil motives? 2:5 Lis-
him. 1:13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I ten, my dear brothers and sisters! Did not God
am tempted by God,” for God cannot be choose the poor in the world to be rich in faith
tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one. and heirs of the kingdom that he promised to
1:14 But each one is tempted when he is lured those who love him? 2:6 But you have dishon-
and enticed by his own desires. 1:15 Then when ored the poor! Are not the rich oppressing you
desire conceives, it gives birth to sin, and when and dragging you into the courts? 2:7 Do they
sin is full grown, it gives birth to death. 1:16 Donot blaspheme the good name of the one you
not be led astray, my dear brothers and sisters. belong to? 2:8 But if you fulfill the royal law as
1:17 All generous giving and every perfect gift expressed in this scripture, “You shall love your
is from above, coming down from the Father of neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. 2:9
lights, with whom there is no variation or the But if you show prejudice, you are committing
slightest hint of change. 1:18 By his sovereign sin and are convicted by the law as violators.
plan he gave us birth through the message of 2:10 For the one who obeys the whole law but
truth, that we would be a kind of firstfruits of all
fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.
he created. 2:11 For he who said, “Do not commit adul-
Living Out the Message tery,” also said, “Do not murder.” Now if you
do not commit adultery but do commit murder,
1:19 Understand this, my dear brothers and you have become a violator of the law. 2:12
sisters! Let every person be quick to listen, slow Speak and act as those who will be judged by a
law that gives freedom. 2:13 For judgment is of deadly poison. 3:9 With it we bless the Lord
merciless for the one who has shown no mercy. and Father, and with it we curse people made in
But mercy triumphs over judgment. God’s image. 3:10 From the same mouth come
blessing and cursing. These things should not be
Faith and Works Together so, my brothers and sisters. 3:11 A spring does
2:14 What good is it, my brothers and sis- not pour out fresh water and bitter water from
ters, if someone claims to have faith but does the same opening, does it? 3:12 Can a fig tree
not have works? Can this kind of faith save produce olives, my brothers and sisters, or a
him? 2:15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed vine produce figs? Neither can a salt water
and lacks daily food, 2:16 and one of you says spring produce fresh water.
to them, “Go in peace, keep warm and eat well,” True Wisdom
but you do not give them what the body needs,
what good is it? 2:17 So also faith, if it does not 3:13 Who is wise and understanding among
have works, is dead being by itself. 2:18 But you? By his good conduct he should show his
someone will say, “You have faith and I have works done in the gentleness that wisdom
works.” Show me your faith without works and brings. 3:14 But if you have bitter jealousy and
I will show you faith by my works. 2:19 You selfishness in your hearts, do not boast and tell
believe that God is one; well and good. Even lies against the truth. 3:15 Such wisdom does
the demons believe that – and tremble with fear. not come from above but is earthly, natural, de-
2:20 But would you like evidence, you monic. 3:16 For where there is jealousy and self-
empty fellow, that faith without works is use- ishness, there is disorder and every evil practice.
less? 2:21 Was not Abraham our father justified 3:17 But the wisdom from above is first pure,
by works when he offered Isaac his son on the then peaceable, gentle, accommodating, full of
altar? 2:22 You see that his faith was working mercy and good fruit, impartial, and not hypo-
together with his works and his faith was per- critical. 3:18 And the fruit that consists of right-
fected by works. 2:23 And the scripture was ful- eousness is planted in peace among those who
filled that says, “Now Abraham believed God make peace.
and it was counted to him for righteousness,”
and he was called God’s friend. 2:24 You see Passions and Pride
that a person is justified by works and not by 4:1 Where do the conflicts and where do the
faith alone. 2:25 And similarly, was not Rahab quarrels among you come from? Is it not from
the prostitute also justified by works when she this, from your passions that battle inside you?
welcomed the messengers and sent them out by 4:2 You desire and you do not have; you murder
another way? 2:26 For just as the body without and envy and you cannot obtain; you quarrel
the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is and fight. You do not have because you do not
dead. ask; 4:3 you ask and do not receive because you
The Power of the Tongue ask wrongly, so you can spend it on your pas-
sions.
3:1 Not many of you should become teach- 4:4 Adulterers, do you not know that friend-
ers, my brothers and sisters, because you know ship with the world means hostility toward
that we will be judged more strictly. 3:2 For we God? So whoever decides to be the world’s
all stumble in many ways. If someone does not friend makes himself God’s enemy. 4:5 Or do
stumble in what he says, he is a perfect individ- you think the scripture means nothing when it
ual, able to control the entire body as well. 3:3 says, “The spirit that God caused to live within
And if we put bits into the mouths of horses to us has an envious yearning”? 4:6 But he gives
get them to obey us, then we guide their entire greater grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes
bodies. 3:4 Look at ships too: Though they are the proud, but he gives grace to the humble.”
so large and driven by harsh winds, they are 4:7 So submit to God. But resist the devil and he
steered by a tiny rudder wherever the pilot’s in- will flee from you. 4:8 Draw near to God and he
clination directs. 3:5 So too the tongue is a small will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you
part of the body, yet it has great pretensions. sinners, and make your hearts pure, you double-
Think how small a flame sets a huge forest minded. 4:9 Grieve, mourn, and weep. Turn
ablaze. 3:6 And the tongue is a fire! The tongue your laughter into mourning and your joy into
represents the world of wrongdoing among the despair. 4:10 Humble yourselves before the
parts of our bodies. It pollutes the entire body Lord and he will exalt you.
and sets fire to the course of human existence – 4:11 Do not speak against one another,
and is set on fire by hell. brothers and sisters. He who speaks against a
3:7 For every kind of animal, bird, reptile, fellow believer or judges a fellow believer
and sea creature is subdued and has been sub- speaks against the law and judges the law. But if
dued by humankind. 3:8 But no human being you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law
can subdue the tongue; it is a restless evil, full but its judge. 4:12 But there is only one who is
lawgiver and judge – the one who is able to and they should pray for him and anoint him
save and destroy. On the other hand, who are with oil in the name of the Lord. 5:15 And the
you to judge your neighbor? prayer of faith will save the one who is sick and
4:13 Come now, you who say, “Today or to- the Lord will raise him up – and if he has com-
morrow we will go into this or that town and mitted sins, he will be forgiven. 5:16 So confess
spend a year there and do business and make a your sins to one another and pray for one an-
profit.” 4:14 You do not know about tomorrow. other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a
What is your life like? For you are a puff of righteous person has great effectiveness. 5:17
smoke that appears for a short time and then Elijah was a human being like us, and he prayed
vanishes. 4:15 You ought to say instead, “If the earnestly that it would not rain and there was no
Lord is willing, then we will live and do this or rain on the land for three years and six months!
that.” 4:16 But as it is, you boast in your arro- 5:18 Then he prayed again, and the sky gave
gance. All such boasting is evil. 4:17 So who- rain and the land sprouted with a harvest.
ever knows what is good to do and does not do `5:19 My brothers and sisters, if anyone
it is guilty of sin. among you wanders from the truth and someone
turns him back, 5:20 he should know that the
Warning to the Rich one who turns a sinner back from his wandering
5:1 Come now, you rich! Weep and cry path will save that person’s soul from death and
aloud over the miseries that are coming on you. will cover a multitude of sins.
5:2 Your riches have rotted and your clothing
has become moth-eaten. 5:3 Your gold and sil-
ver have rusted and their rust will be a witness
against you. It will consume your flesh like fire.
It is in the last days that you have hoarded trea-
sure! 5:4 Look, the pay you have held back from
the workers who mowed your fields cries out
against you, and the cries of the reapers have
reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. 5:5 You
have lived indulgently and luxuriously on the
earth. You have fattened your hearts in a day of
slaughter. 5:6 You have condemned and mur-
dered the righteous person, although he does not
resist you.
Patience in Suffering
5:7 So be patient, brothers and sisters, until
the Lord’s return. Think of how the farmer waits
for the precious fruit of the ground and is patient
for it until it receives the early and late rains. 5:8
You also be patient and strengthen your hearts,
for the Lord’s return is near. 5:9 Do not grumble
against one another, brothers and sisters, so that
you may not be judged. See, the judge stands
before the gates! 5:10 As an example of suffer-
ing and patience, brothers and sisters, take the
prophets who spoke in the Lord’s name. 5:11
Think of how we regard as blessed those who
have endured. You have heard of Job’s en-
durance and you have seen the Lord’s purpose,
that the Lord is full of compassion and mercy.
5:12 And above all, my brothers and sisters, do
not swear, either by heaven
or by earth or by any other oath. But let your
“Yes” be yes and your “No” be no, so that you
may not fall into judgment.
Prayer for the Sick
5:13 Is anyone among you suffering? He
should pray. Is anyone in good spirits? He
should sing praises. 5:14 Is anyone among you
ill? He should summon the elders of the church,