James 1:14-27

14But each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own evil desire.

15Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death.

16Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters.

17Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

18By his own choice, he gave us birth by the word of truth so that we would be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

19My dear brothers and sisters, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger,

20for human anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness.

21Therefore, ridding yourselves of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent, humbly receive the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

22But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

23Because if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like someone looking at his own face in a mirror.

24For he looks at himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of person he was.

25But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom and perseveres in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer who works — this person will be blessed in what he does.

26If anyone thinks he is religious without controlling his tongue, his religion is useless and he deceives himself.

27Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained from the world.