James 1

Testing Your Faith

112James, a 3bond-servant of God and 4of the Lord Jesus Christ,

To 5the twelve tribes who are 67dispersed abroad: 8Greetings.

29Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter 10various 11trials, 3knowing that 12the testing of your 13faith produces 1415endurance. 4And let 1617endurance have its perfect 18result, so that you may be 1920perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

5But if any of you 21lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and 22without reproach, and 23it will be given to him. 6But he must 24ask in faith 25without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, 26driven and tossed by the wind. 7For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, 8being a 2728double-minded man, 29unstable in all his ways.

930But the 31brother of humble circumstances is to glory in his high position; 10and the rich man is to glory in his humiliation, because 32like 33flowering grass he will pass away. 11For the sun rises with 3435a scorching wind and 36withers 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.

1237Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has 38been approved, he will receive 39the crown of life which the Lord 40has promised to those who 41love Him. 13Let no one say when he is tempted, “42I am being tempted 43by God”; for God cannot be tempted 44by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. 14But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. 15Then 45when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when 46sin 47is accomplished, it brings forth death. 1648Do not be 49deceived, 50my beloved brethren. 17Every good thing given and every perfect gift is 51from above, coming down from 52the Father of lights, 53with whom there is no variation or 54shifting shadow. 18In the exercise of 55His will He 56brought us forth by 57the word of truth, so that we would be 58a kind of 59first fruits 60among His creatures.

1961This 62you know, 63my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, 64slow to speak and 65slow to anger; 20for 66the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God. 21Therefore, 67putting aside all filthiness and all 68that remains of wickedness, in 69humility receive 70the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. 2271But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. 23For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his 72natural face 73in a mirror; 24for once he has looked at himself and gone away, 74he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. 25But one who looks intently at the perfect law, 75the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but 76an effectual doer, this man will be 77blessed in 78what he does.

26If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not 7980bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is worthless. 27Pure and undefiled religion 81in the sight of our God and Father is this: to 82visit 83orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained 84by 85the world.