My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

Let no one say when passing through trial, "My temptation is from God;" for God is incapable of being tempted to do evil, and He Himself tempts no one.

Do not err, my beloved brethren.

Of his own choice he produced us by the word of truth, that we might be a sort of first fruit of his creatures.??19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.

Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:

My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.

for if there may come into your synagogue a man with gold ring, in gay raiment, and there may come in also a poor man in vile raiment,

And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:

Stand thou there, or, Sit thou here under my footstool, Ye distinguish not in yourselves, but are become evil-reasoning judges.

Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?

For whosoever may keep the whole law, and fail in one item, has become guilty of all.

What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?

and if a brother or sister may be naked, and may be destitute of the daily food,

and any one of you may say to them, 'Depart ye in peace, be warmed, and be filled,' and may not give to them the things needful for the body, what is the profit?

so also the faith, if it may not have works, is dead by itself.

Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

But do you want proof, my senseless friend, that faith without good deeds amounts to nothing?

My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.

Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.

Behold also the ships, which are very great, and are driven by violent winds; yet they are turned about by a very small helm, to whatever point the will of him that directs it may determine.

In the same way the tongue is an insignificant part of the body, but it is immensely boastful. Remember how a mere spark may set a vast forest in flames.

But the tongue may not be controlled by man; it is an unresting evil, it is full of the poison of death.

Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.

Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.

Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

Adulterers and adulteresses! have ye not known that friendship of the world is enmity with God? whoever, then, may counsel to be a friend of the world, an enemy of God he is set.

Believers, do not speak against or slander one another. He who speaks [self-righteously] against a brother or judges his brother [hypocritically], speaks against the Law and judges the Law. If you judge the Law, you are not a doer of the Law but a judge of it.

Listen to me, you who say 'To-day or to-morrow we will go to such and such a town, spend a year there, and trade, and make money,'

Yet you do not know [the least thing] about what may happen in your life tomorrow. [What is secure in your life?] You are merely a vapor [like a puff of smoke or a wisp of steam from a cooking pot] that is visible for a little while and then vanishes [into thin air].

instead of your saying, 'If the Lord may will, we shall live, and do this or that;'

Listen to me, you rich men, weep and wail for the miseries that are coming upon you!

Be patient, then, brethren, till the presence of the Lord; lo, the husbandman doth expect the precious fruit of the earth, being patient for it, till he may receive rain -- early and latter;

[So], you people should be patient also; strengthen your hearts because the Lord's coming is near [Note: This may refer to the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70, or to Christ's final coming and judgment].

murmur not against one another, brethren, that ye may not be condemned; lo, the Judge before the door hath stood.

Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.

But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.

and the prayer of the faith shall save the distressed one, and the Lord shall raise him up, and if sins he may have committed, they shall be forgiven to him.

Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

My brethren, if any among you err from the truth, and one convert him;

you may be sure that whoever brings a sinner back from his wrong path will save his soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.