Greeting
1 James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ: to the twelve tribes who are scattered over the world. All good wishes.
1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.
1 (a)(A)James, a (B)bond-servant of God and (C)of the Lord Jesus Christ,To (D)the twelve tribes who are (b)(E)dispersed abroad: (F)Greetings.
1 James,(A) a slave of God(B) and of the Lord Jesus Christ:To the 12 tribes(C) in the Dispersion.(a)(D)Greetings.(E)
1 From: James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus, the Messiah. To: The twelve tribes in the Dispersion. Greetings.
Trials, Testing, And Faith
4 Only let endurance have perfect results so that you may become perfect and complete, deficient in nothing.
4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
4 And let (e)(L)endurance have its perfect (f)result, so that you may be (g)(M)perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
4 But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.
4 But you must let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.
5 And if any one of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask God for it, who gives with open hand to all men, and without upbraiding; and it will be given him.
5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
5 But if any of you (N)lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and (h)without reproach, and (O)it will be given to him.
5 Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without criticizing, and it will be given to him.(G)
5 Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to everyone generously without a rebuke, and it will be given to him.
6 But let him ask in faith and have no doubts; for he who has doubts is like the surge of the sea, driven by the wind and tossed into spray.
6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
6 But he must (P)ask in faith (Q)without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, (R)driven and tossed by the wind.
6 But let him ask in faith without doubting. For the doubter is like the surging sea, driven and tossed by the wind.
6 But he must ask in faith, without any doubts, for the one who has doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.
7 A person of that sort must not expect to receive anything from the Lord--
7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
7 For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord,
7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.
7 Such a person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.
Poverty And Riches
10 but a rich man should rejoice in being brought low, for like flowers among the herbage rich men will pass away.
10 But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.
10 and the rich man is to glory in his humiliation, because (V)like (k)flowering grass he will pass away.
10 but the one who is rich should boast in his humiliation because he will pass away like a flower of the field.(I)
10 and a rich person in his having been humbled, because he will fade away like a wild flower.
11 The sun rises with his scorching heat and dries up the herbage, so that its flowers drop off and the beauty of its appearance perishes, and in the same way rich men with all their prosperity will fade away.
11 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.
11 For the sun rises with (l)(W)a scorching wind and (X)withers 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.
11 For the sun rises with its scorching heat and dries up the grass; its flower falls off, and its beautiful appearance is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will wither away while pursuing his activities.(J)
11 For the sun comes up with its scorching heat and dries up the grass. The flower in it drops off, and its beauty is gone. That is how the rich person will fade away in his pursuits.
Testing And Tempting
12 Blessed is he who patiently endures trials; for when he has stood the test, he will gain the victor's crown--even the crown of Life--which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
12 (Y)Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has (m)been approved, he will receive (Z)the crown of life which the Lord (AA)has promised to those who (AB)love Him.
12 A man who endures trials(c) is blessed, because when he passes the test he will receive the crown(K) of life that God(d) has promised to those who love Him.(L)
12 How blessed is the man who endures temptation! When he has passed the test, he will receive the victor's crown of life that God has promised to those who keep on loving him.
13 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.
13 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:
13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “(AC)I am being tempted (n)by God”; for God cannot be tempted (o)by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.
13 No one undergoing a trial should say, “I am being tempted by God.” For God is not tempted by evil,(e) and He Himself doesn’t tempt anyone.
13 When someone is tempted, he should not say, "I am being tempted by God," because God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone.
14 But when a man is tempted, it is his own passions that carry him away and serve as a bait.
14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
14 But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.
14 Instead, each person is tempted by his own desire, being lured and trapped by it.
15 Then the passion conceives, and becomes the parent of sin; and sin, when fully matured, gives birth to death.
15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
15 Then (AD)when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when (AE)sin (p)is accomplished, it brings forth death.
15 Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death.(N)
15 When that desire becomes pregnant, it gives birth to sin; and when that sin grows up, it gives birth to death.
17 Every gift which is good, and every perfect boon, is from above, and comes down from the Father, who is the source of all Light. In Him there is no variation nor the slightest suggestion of change.
17 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.
17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is (AH)from above, coming down from (AI)the Father of lights, (AJ)with whom there is no variation or (r)shifting shadow.
17 Every generous act and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights; with Him there is no variation or shadow cast by turning.(P)
17 Every generous act of giving and every perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father who made the heavenly lights, in whom there is no inconsistency or shifting shadow.
18 In accordance with His will He made us His children through the Message of the truth, so that we might, in a sense, be the Firstfruits of the things which He has created.
18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
18 In the exercise of (AK)His will He (AL)brought us forth by (AM)the word of truth, so that we would be (s)a kind of (AN)first fruits (t)among His creatures.
18 By His own choice, He gave us a new birth by the message of truth(f) so that we would be the firstfruits of His creatures.(Q)
18 In accordance with his will he made us his children by the word of truth, so that we might become the most important of his creatures.
Doers Of The Message, Not Just Hearers
19 You know this, my dearly-loved brethren. But let every one be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to be angry.
19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
19 (u)This (AO)you know, (AP)my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, (AQ)slow to speak and (AR)slow to anger;
19 My dearly loved brothers, understand this: Everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger,(R)
19 You must understand this, my dear brothers. Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.
21 Ridding yourselves, therefore, of all that is vile and of the evil influences which prevail around you, welcome in a humble spirit the Message implanted within you, which is able to save your souls.
21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
21 Therefore, (AT)putting aside all filthiness and all (v)that remains of wickedness, in (w)humility receive (AU)the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.
21 Therefore, ridding yourselves of all moral filth and evil,(g) humbly receive the implanted word, which is able to save you.(h)(S)
21 Therefore, rid yourselves of everything impure and every expression of wickedness, and with a gentle spirit welcome the word planted in you that can save your souls.
23 For if any one listens but does not obey, he is like a man who carefully looks at his own face in a mirror.
23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his (x)natural face (AW)in a mirror;
23 Because if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man looking at his own face(i) in a mirror.
23 For if anyone hears the word but is not obedient to it, he is like a man who looks at himself in a mirror
24 Although he has looked carefully at himself, he goes away, and has immediately forgotten the sort of man he is.
24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
24 for once he has looked at himself and gone away, (y)he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was.
24 For he looks at himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.
24 and studies himself carefully, and then goes off and immediately forgets what he looks like.
25 But he who looks closely into the perfect Law--the Law of freedom--and continues looking, he, being not a hearer who forgets, but an obedient doer, will as the result of his obedience be blessed.
25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
25 But one who looks intently at the perfect law, (AX)the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but (z)an effectual doer, this man will be (AY)blessed in (aa)what he does.
25 But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom and perseveres in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but one who does good works—this person will be blessed in what he does.(U)
25 But the one who looks at the perfect law of freedom and remains committed to it thereby demonstrating that he is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of what that law requires will be blessed in what he does.
The True Way To Worship God
26 If a man thinks that he is scrupulously religious, although he is not curbing his tongue but is deceiving himself, his religious service is worthless.
26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.
26 If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not (ab)(AZ)bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is worthless.
26 If anyone(j) thinks he is religious without controlling his tongue,(V) then his religion is useless and he deceives himself.
26 If anyone thinks that he is religious and does not bridle his tongue, but instead deceives himself, his religion is worthless.
27 The religious service which is pure and stainless in the sight of our God and Father is to visit fatherless children and widowed women in their time of trouble, and to keep one's own self unspotted from the world.
27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
27 Pure and undefiled religion (BA)in the sight of our God and Father is this: to (BB)visit (BC)orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained (ac)by (BD)the world.
27 Pure and undefiled religion before our(k) God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows(W) in their distress and to keep oneself unstained by the world.(X)
27 A religion that is pure and stainless according to God the Father is this: to take care of orphans and widows who are suffering, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.