James Chapter 1

Testing Your Faith

112JamesG2385, a 3bond-servantG1401 of GodG2316 and 4of the LordG2962 JesusG2424 ChristG5547,

To 5the twelveG1427 tribesG5443 whoG3588 are 67dispersedG1290 abroad: 8GreetingsG5463.

29ConsiderG2233 it allG3956 joyG5479, my brethrenG80, whenG3752 you encounterG4045 10variousG4164 11trialsG3986, 3knowingG1097 that 12the testingG1383 of your 13faithG4102 producesG2716 1415enduranceG5281. 4And let 1617enduranceG5281 haveG2192 its perfectG5046 18resultG2041, soG2443 that you may be 1920perfectG5046 and completeG3648, lackingG3007 in nothingG3367.

5But ifG1487 anyG5100 of you 21lacksG3007 wisdomG4678, let him askG154 of GodG2316, who givesG1325 to allG3956 generouslyG574 and 22withoutG3361 reproachG3679, and 23it will be givenG1325 to him. 6But he must 24askG154 in faithG4102 25withoutG3367 anyG3367 doubtingG1252, for the one who doubtsG1252 is likeG1858 the surfG2830 of the seaG2281, 26drivenG416 and tossedG4494 by the windG4494. 7For that manG444 ought not to expectG3633 that he will receiveG2983 anythingG5100 from the LordG2962, 8being a 2728double-mindedG1374 manG435, 29unstableG182 in allG3956 his waysG3598.

930But the 31brotherG80 of humbleG5011 circumstances is to gloryG2744 in his highG5311 positionG5311; 10and the richG4145 manG4145 is to glory in his humiliationG5014, becauseG3754 32likeG5613 33floweringG438 grassG5528 he will passG3928 awayG3928. 11For the sunG2246 risesG393 with 3435a scorchingG2742 windG2742 and 36withersG3583 the grassG5528; and its flowerG438 fallsG1601 offG1601 and the beautyG2143 of its appearanceG4383 is destroyedG622; soG3779 tooG2532 the richG4145 manG4145 in the midst of his pursuitsG4197 will fadeG3133 awayG3133.

1237BlessedG3107 is a manG435 whoG3739 perseveresG5278 under trialG3986; for once he has 38beenG1096 approvedG1384, he will receiveG2983 39the crownG4735 of lifeG2222 whichG3739 the Lord 40has promisedG1861 to thoseG3588 who 41loveG25 Him. 13Let noG3367 oneG3367 sayG3004 when he is temptedG3985, “42I am being temptedG3985 43by GodG2316”; for GodG2316 cannotG551 be temptedG551 44by evilG2556, and He HimselfG846 does not temptG3985 anyoneG3762. 14But eachG1538 oneG1538 is temptedG3985 when he is carriedG1828 awayG1828 and enticedG1185 by his ownG2398 lustG1939. 15ThenG1534 45when lustG1939 has conceivedG4815, it givesG5088 birthG5088 to sinG266; and when 46sinG266 47is accomplishedG658, it bringsG616 forthG616 deathG2288. 1648Do not be 49deceivedG4105, 50my belovedG27 brethrenG80. 17EveryG3956 goodG18 thingG1394 givenG1394 and everyG3956 perfectG5046 giftG1434 is 51from aboveG509, comingG2597 downG2597 from 52the FatherG3962 of lightsG5457, 53with whomG3739 thereG1762 is noG3756 variationG3883 orG2228 54shiftingG5157 shadowG644. 18In the exercise of 55His willG1014 He 56broughtG616 us forthG616 by 57the wordG3056 of truthG225, soG1519 that we would be 58a kindG5100 of 59firstG536 fruitsG536 60among His creaturesG2938.

1961This 62you knowG3609, 63my belovedG27 brethrenG80. But everyoneG3956 must be quickG5036 to hearG191, 64slowG1021 to speakG2980 and 65slowG1021 to angerG3709; 20for 66the angerG3709 of manG435 does not achieveG2038 the righteousnessG1343 of GodG2316. 21ThereforeG1352, 67puttingG659 asideG659 allG3956 filthinessG4507 and all 68that remainsG4050 of wickednessG2549, in 69humilityG4240 receiveG1209 70the wordG3056 implantedG1721, which is ableG1410 to saveG4982 your soulsG5590. 2271But proveG1096 yourselves doersG4163 of the wordG3056, and not merelyG3441 hearersG202 who deludeG3884 themselvesG1438. 23For ifG1487 anyoneG5100 is a hearerG202 of the wordG3056 and not a doerG4163, he is likeG1858 a manG435 who looksG2657 at his 72naturalG1078 faceG4383 73in a mirrorG2072; 24for once he has lookedG2657 at himselfG1438 and goneG565 awayG565, 74he has immediatelyG2112 forgottenG1950 whatG3697 kindG3697 of personG3697 he was. 25But one who looksG3879 intentlyG3879 at the perfectG5046 lawG3551, 75the law of libertyG1657, and abidesG3887 by it, not having becomeG1096 a forgetfulG1953 hearerG202 but 76an effectualG2041 doerG4163, thisG3778 manG3778 will be 77blessedG3107 in 78whatG4162 he doesG4162.

26IfG1487 anyoneG5100 thinksG1380 himself to be religiousG2357, and yet does not 7980bridleG5468 his tongueG1100 but deceivesG538 his own heartG2588, thisG3778 man’sG3778 religionG2356 is worthlessG3152. 27PureG2513 and undefiledG283 religionG2356 81in the sightG3844 of our GodG2316 and FatherG3962 is thisG3778: to 82visitG1980 83orphansG3737 and widowsG5503 in their distressG2347, and to keepG5083 oneselfG1438 unstainedG784 84by 85the worldG2889.