[because you] know that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

And let endurance have its perfect result and do a thorough work, so that you may be perfect and completely developed [in your faith], lacking in nothing.

Now if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask for [it] from God, who gives to all without reservation and not reproaching, and it will be given to him.

But he must ask [for wisdom] in faith, without doubting [God’s willingness to help], for the one who doubts is like a billowing surge of the sea that is blown about and tossed by the wind.

Now let the brother of humble circumstances boast in his high position,

For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.

Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:

Make no mistake about this, my beloved brothers:

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

By His own choice, He gave us a new birth by the message of truth so that we would be the firstfruits of His creatures.

Ye know this , my beloved brethren. But let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:

For after looking at himself he goes away, and in a short time he has no memory of what he was like.

Whereas he who gazes into the faultless law of freedom and remains in that position, proving himself to be no forgetful listener but an active agent, he will be blessed in his activity.

If a man seems to have religion and has no control over his tongue but lets himself be tricked by what is false, this man's religion is of no value.

The religion which is holy and free from evil in the eyes of our God and Father is this: to take care of children who have no fathers and of widows who are in trouble, and to keep oneself untouched by the world.

My fellow believers, do not practice your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of partiality [toward people—show no favoritism, no prejudice, no snobbery].

Now if you people show special attention to the one wearing the fine clothing and say [to him], "You can sit here in this good seat," and to the poor person, "You stand over there," or "Sit on the floor by my feet,"

Now you insult the poor. Is it not the rich who lord it over you and drag you to court?

For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.

For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.

What is the benefit, my fellow believers, if someone claims to have faith but has no [good] works [as evidence]? Can that [kind of] faith save him? [No, a mere claim of faith is not sufficient—genuine faith produces good works.]

Now if a brother or a sister is naked and destitute of daily food,

Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead in itself.

But someone may say, “You [claim to] have faith and I have [good] works; show me your [alleged] faith without the works [if you can], and I will show you my faith by my works [that is, by what I do].”

But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Now Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness," and he was called God's friend.

Not many [of you] should become teachers [serving in an official teaching capacity], my brothers and sisters, for you know that we [who are teachers] will be judged by a higher standard [because we have assumed greater accountability and more condemnation if we teach incorrectly].

Now if we put the horses bridles into their mouths that they may obey us, we turn about their whole body also.

But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

Out of the same month comes forth blessing and cursing. There is no need, my brethren, for these things 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.

But if you have bitter envy in your heart and the desire to get the better of others, have no pride in this, talking falsely against what is true.

That kind of wisdom does not come from above. No, it is worldly, self-centered, and demonic.

For where envy is, and the desire to get the better of others, there is no order, but every sort of evil-doing.

Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

Or do you think that the Scripture says to no purpose that the [human] spirit which He has made to dwell in us lusts with envy?

No; the gift that God gives is for a nobler end; and that is why it is said--'God is opposed to the haughty, but gives help to the humble.'

Therefore draw nigh unto God; and resist the devil, and he will flee from you:

Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. The man who speaks evil of a brother-man or judges his brother-man speaks evil of the Law and judges the Law. But if you judge the Law, you are no longer one who obeys the Law, but one who judges it.

Now there is but one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou then that judgest another?

Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:

Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.

Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.

You have condemned and have put to death the righteous man; he offers you no resistance.

Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.

Say no hard things against one another, brothers, so that you will not be judged; see, the judge is waiting at the doors.

You know we call those blessed [happy, spiritually prosperous, favored by God] who were steadfast and endured [difficult circumstances]. You have heard of the patient endurance of Job and you have seen the Lord’s outcome [how He richly blessed Job]. The Lord is full of compassion and is merciful.

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.

Elijah was a man with a nature like ours [with the same physical, mental, and spiritual limitations and shortcomings], and he prayed intensely for it not to rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months.

Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.