James 1

The Testing of 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 brothers and sisters, 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 person ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, 8being a 2728double-minded man, 29unstable in all his ways.

930Now the brother or sister of humble circumstances is to glory in his high position; 10but the rich person is to glory in his 31humiliation, because 32like 33flowering grass he will pass away. 11For the sun rises with 34its scorching heat and 35withers the grass; and its flower falls off and the beauty of its appearance is destroyed; so also the rich person, in the midst of his pursuits, will die out.

1236Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has 37been approved, he will receive 38the crown of life which the Lord 39has promised to those who 40love Him. 13No one is to say when he is tempted, “41I am being tempted 42by God”; for God cannot be tempted 43by 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 44when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and 45sin, when it has run its course, brings forth death. 1646Do not be 47deceived, 48my beloved brothers and sisters. 17Every good thing given and every perfect gift is 49from above, coming down from 50the Father of lights, 51with whom there is no variation or 52shifting shadow. 18In the exercise of 53His will He 54gave us birth by 55the word of truth, so that we would be 56a kind of 57first fruits 58among His creatures.

195960You know this, 61my beloved brothers and sisters. Now everyone must be quick to hear, 62slow to speak, and 63slow to anger; 20for a man’s 64anger does not bring about the righteousness of God. 21Therefore, 65ridding yourselves of all filthiness and all 66that remains of wickedness, in 67humility receive 68the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. 2269But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not just hearers who deceive themselves. 23For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his 70natural face 71in a mirror; 24for once he has looked at himself and gone away, 72he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. 25But one who has looked intently at the perfect law, 73the law of freedom, and has continued in it, not having become a forgetful hearer but 74an active doer, this person will be 75blessed in 76what he does.

26If anyone thinks himself to be religious, yet does not 7778bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this person’s religion is worthless. 27Pure and undefiled religion 79in the sight of our God and Father is this: to 80visit 81orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained 82by 83the world.