James 1

(Jude 1:1–2)

1JamesG2385, a servantG1401 of GodG2316 andG2532 of the LordG2962 JesusG2424 ChristG5547,

To theG3588 twelveG1427 tribesG5443 ofG1722 theG3588 DispersionG1290:1

GreetingsG5463.

Rejoicing in Trials

(Philippians 1:12–20)

2ConsiderG2233 it pureG3956 joyG5479, myG1473 brothersG80, whenG3752 you encounterG4045 trialsG3986 of many kindsG4164, 3because you knowG1097 thatG3754 theG3588 testingG1383 of yourG4771 faithG4102 developsG2716 perseveranceG5281. 4AllowG2192 perseveranceG5281 to finishG5046 its workG2041, so thatG2443 you may beG1510 matureG5046 andG2532 completeG3648, not lackingG3007 anything.

5NowG1161 ifG1487 anyG5100 of youG4771 lacksG3007 wisdomG4678, he should askG154G3844 GodG2316, whoG3588 givesG1325 generouslyG574 to allG3956 withoutG3361 finding faultG3679, andG2532 it will be givenG1325 to himG846. 6ButG1161 he must askG154 inG1722 faithG4102, withoutG3367 doubtingG1252, becauseG1063 he whoG3588 doubtsG1252 is likeG1503 a waveG2830 of the seaG2281, blownG416 andG2532 tossed by the windG4494. 7ThatG1565 manG444 should notG3361 expectG3633 to receiveG2983 anythingG5100 fromG3844 theG3588 LordG2962. 8He is a double-mindedG1374 manG435, unstableG182 inG1722 allG3956 hisG846 waysG3598.

9

TheG3588 brotherG80 in humble circumstancesG5011 should exultG2744 inG1722 hisG846 high positionG5311. 10ButG1161 theG3588 one who is richG4145 should exult inG1722 hisG846 low positionG5014, becauseG3754 he will pass awayG3928 likeG5613 a flowerG438 of the fieldG5528. 11ForG1063 theG3588 sunG2246 risesG393 withG4862 scorching heatG2742 andG2532 withersG3583 theG3588 plantG5528; itsG846 flowerG438 fallsG1601 andG2532 its beautyG2143G846G3588G4383 is lostG622. SoG3779 tooG2532, theG3588 richG4145 man will fade awayG3133 in the midst ofG1722 hisG846 pursuitsG4197.

12BlessedG3107 is the manG435 whoG3739 perseveresG5278 under trialG3986, becauseG3754 when he hasG1096 stood the testG1384, he will receiveG2983 theG3588 crownG4735 of lifeG2222 thatG3739 God has promisedG1861 to those whoG3588 loveG25 HimG846.

Good and Perfect Gifts

13When temptedG3985, no oneG3367 should sayG3004, “GodG575G2316 is tempting meG3985.” ForG1063 GodG2316 cannot be temptedG1510G551 by evilG2556, nor does He temptG846G3985 anyone. 14ButG1161 each oneG1538 is temptedG3985 when byG5259 his ownG2398 evil desiresG1939 he is lured awayG1828 andG2532 enticedG1185. 15ThenG1534 after desireG1939 has conceivedG4815, it gives birth toG5088 sinG266; andG1161 sinG266, when it is full-grownG658, gives birth toG616 deathG2288.

16Do notG3361 be deceivedG4105, myG1473 belovedG27 brothersG80. 17EveryG3956 goodG18G1394 andG2532 perfectG5046 giftG1434 isG1510 from aboveG509, coming downG2597 fromG575 theG3588 FatherG3962 of the heavenly lightsG5457, withG3844 whomG3739 there isG1762 noG3756 changeG3883 orG2228 shiftingG5157 shadowG644.2 18He choseG1014 to give us birthG616G1473 through the wordG3056 of truthG225, thatG1519 weG1473 would beG1510 a kind ofG5100 firstfruitsG536 of HisG846 creationG2938.3

Hearing and Doing

19MyG1473 belovedG27 brothersG80, understand thisG1492: EveryoneG3956G444 should beG1510 quickG5036 toG1519 listenG191, slowG1021 toG1519 speakG2980, and slowG1021 toG1519 angerG3709, 20forG1063 man’sG435 angerG3709 does notG3756 bring aboutG2038 the righteousnessG1343 that GodG2316 desires. 21ThereforeG1352, get ridG659 of allG3956 moral filthG4507 andG2532 every expressionG4050 of evilG2549, and humblyG1722G4240 acceptG1209 theG3588 wordG3056 plantedG1721 in you, whichG3588 canG1410 saveG4982 yourG4771 soulsG5590.

22

BeG1096 doersG4163 of the wordG3056, andG2532 notG3361 hearersG202 onlyG3440. Otherwise, you are deceivingG3884 yourselvesG1438. 23ForG3754 anyoneG5100 who hearsG1510G202 the wordG3056 butG2532 does not carry it outG3756G4163 is likeG1503 a manG435 who looksG2657 at hisG846 faceG1078G4383 inG1722 a mirrorG2072, 24and after observingG2657 himselfG1438 goes awayG565 andG2532 immediatelyG2112 forgetsG1950 what he looks likeG3697G1510. 25ButG1161 theG3588 one who looks intentlyG3879 intoG1519 the perfectG5046 lawG3551 of freedomG1657, andG2532 continues to do soG3887—notG3756 beingG1096 a forgetfulG1953 hearerG202, butG235 an effectiveG2041 doerG4163—he will beG1510 blessedG3107 inG1722 whatG3588 heG846 doesG4162.

26IfG1487 anyoneG5100 considers himselfG1380G1510 religiousG2357 and yet does not bridleG3361G5468 hisG846 tongueG1100, he deceivesG538 hisG846 heartG2588 and his religionG2356 is worthlessG3152. 27PureG2513 andG2532 undefiledG283 religionG2356 beforeG3844 our GodG2316 andG2532 FatherG3962 isG1510 thisG3778: to care forG1980 orphansG3737 andG2532 widowsG5503 inG1722 theirG846 distressG2347, and to keepG5083 oneselfG1438 from being pollutedG784 byG575 theG3588 worldG2889.