"Blessed are those who show mercy, for they will have mercy shown them.

Keep on rejoicing and leaping for ecstasy, for your reward will be rich in heaven; for this is the way they persecuted the prophets who lived before you.

Whoever, therefore, breaks one of the least of these commands and teaches others so to do, will be ranked as least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices them and teaches others so to do, will be ranked as great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness far surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven at all.

But I say to you: "Everyone who harbors malice against his brother, will have to answer to the court, and whoever speaks contemptuously to his brother, will have to answer to the supreme court; and whoever says to his brother, 'You cursed fool? will have to pay the penalty in the pit of torture.

"Again, you have heard that it was said to the men of old, 'You must not swear falsely, but you must perform your oaths as a religious duty.' But I tell you not to swear at all, either by heaven, for it is God's throne, read more. or by the earth, for it is His footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. Never swear by your own head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black. But your way of speaking must be a simple 'Yes' or 'No.' Anything beyond this comes from the evil one.

But I tell you, practice loving your enemies and praying for your persecutors,

So you, my followers, ought to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is."

So you, my followers, ought to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is."

"For if you forgive others their shortcomings your heavenly Father will forgive you, too. But if you do not forgive others, your heavenly Father will not forgive your shortcomings either.

"Stop storing up your riches on earth where moths and rust make away with them, and where thieves break in and steal them.

No one can be a slave to two masters, for either he will hate one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot be slaves of God and money.

"Stop criticizing others, so that you may not be criticized yourselves. For exactly as you criticize others, you will be criticized, and in accordance with the measure that you give to others, it will be measured back to you.

"Keep on asking, and the gift will be given you; keep on seeking, and you will find; keep on knocking, and the door will open to you. For everyone who keeps on asking, receives, and everyone who keeps on seeking, finds, and to the one who keeps on knocking, the door will open. read more. What human father among you, when his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a snake? So if you, in spite of your being bad, know how to give your children what is good, how much more surely will your heavenly Father give what is good to those who keep on asking Him?

Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will get into the kingdom of heaven, but only those who practice doing the will of my Father in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, was it not in your name that we prophesied, and in your name that we drove out demons, and in your name that we did many wonder-works?' read more. And then I will say to them openly, 'I never knew you at all. Go away from me, you who practiced doing wrong.'

"A curse on you, you hypocritical scribes and Pharisees! For you pay tithes on mint and dill and cummin, and yet leave out the more vital matters of the law, justice, love and fidelity. These latter especially you ought to have done, but ought not to have left out the former.

Now this is the testimony which John gave when the Jews sent priests and Levites to him from Jerusalem, to ask him, "Who are you?"

When they finished, James responded as follows: "Brothers, listen to me. Symeon has told how God at first graciously visited the heathen to take from among them a people to bear His name. read more. The words of the prophets are in accord with this, as it is written: 'After this I will return and rebuild David's fallen dwelling; I will rebuild its ruins and set it up again, So that the rest of mankind may earnestly seek the Lord, Yes, all the heathen who are called by my name, says the Lord, who has been making this known from ages past.' So I give it as my opinion, we ought not to put difficulties in the way of the heathen who turn to God, but we should write them to abstain from everything that is contaminated by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals, and from tasting blood. For Moses from the ancient generations has had his preachers in every town, and on every sabbath has been read aloud in the synagogues."

For the Holy Spirit and we have decided not to lay upon you any burden but these essential requirements,

Now if you call yourself a Jew, and rely on law, and boast about God, and understand His will, and by being instructed in the law can know the things that excel, read more. and if you are sure that you are a guide to the blind, a light to those in darkness, a tutor of the foolish, a teacher of the young, since you have a knowledge of the truth as formulated in the law -- you who teach others, do you not teach yourself too? You who preach that men should not steal, do you steal yourself? You who warn men to stop committing adultery, do you practice it yourself? You who shrink in horror from idols, do you rob their temples? You who boast about the law, do you by breaking it dishonor God? For, as the Scripture says, the name of God is abused among the heathen because of you. Now circumcision benefits you only if you practice the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision is no better than uncircumcision.

And not only that, but this too: let us continue exulting in our sufferings, for we know that suffering produces endurance,

and you must stop offering to sin the parts of your bodies as instruments for wrongdoing, but you must once for all offer yourselves to God as persons raised from the dead to live on perpetually, and once for all offer the parts of your bodies to God as instruments for right-doing.

but I see another power operating in my lower nature in conflict with the power operated by my reason, which makes me a prisoner to the power of sin which is operating in my lower nature.

Who are you to criticize another man's servant? It is his own master's business whether he stands or falls, and he will stand, for the Lord has power to make him stand.

Any man who prays or preaches with anything on his head dishonors his head, and any woman who prays or prophesies bareheaded dishonors her head, for it is one and the same thing with having her head shaved. read more. For if a woman will not wear a veil, let her have her hair cut off too. Now if it is a dishonor for a woman to have her hair cut off, or her head shaved, let her wear a veil. For a man ought not to wear anything on his head, because he is the image and reflected glory of God, but woman is man's reflected glory. For man did not originate from woman, but woman did from man, and man was not created for woman's sake, but woman was for man's sake. This is why woman ought to wear upon her head a symbol of man's authority, especially out of respect to the angels. But from the Lord's point of view woman is not independent of man nor man of woman. For just as woman originated from man, so man is born of woman, and both, with everything else, originated from God. You must judge for yourselves in this matter. Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with nothing on her head? Does not nature itself teach you that it is degrading for a man to wear long hair, but that it is a woman's glory to do so? For her hair is given her for a covering.

If I should have the gift of prophecy, And know all secret truths, and knowledge in its every form, and have such perfect faith that I could move mountains, but have no love, I am nothing.

If anyone claims to have the prophetic spirit, or any other spiritual gift, let him recognize that what I now am writing is the Lord's command.

All the brothers wish to be remembered to you. Greet one another with a sacred kiss.

He has qualified even me as a minister of the new covenant, which is not a written but a spiritual covenant. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. Now if the old religious service which resulted in death, although its law was carved in letters of stone, was introduced with a splendor so great that the Israelites could not keep their eyes fixed on Moses' face because of the splendor that was fading from it, read more. why should not this spiritual service be attended with much greater splendor? For if the service connected with condemnation had such splendor, the service resulting in right standing with God will surely far surpass it in splendor. For on account of its surpassing splendor, what was once so splendid has now no splendor at all. For if what passed away was introduced with splendor, with how much greater splendor must what is permanent be attended? So, as I have such a hope, I speak with the greatest boldness, not as Moses did, who used to wear a veil over his face, to keep the Israelites from gazing at the end of what was passing away. Besides, their minds were made dull; for to this day that same veil remains unlifted, whenever they read the Old Covenant; because it is only through union with Christ that it is removed. Indeed, to this very day, whenever Moses is read, a veil hangs over their hearts, but whenever anybody turns to the Lord, the veil is removed, Now the Lord means the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And all of us, with faces uncovered, because we continue to reflect like mirrors the splendor of the Lord, are being transformed into likeness to Him, from one degree of splendor to another, since it comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

For in union with Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor lack of it counts for anything; but only faith that is spurred on to action by love.

James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, sends greetings to the twelve tribes that are scattered over the world. You must consider it the purest joy, my brothers, when you are involved in various trials,

You must consider it the purest joy, my brothers, when you are involved in various trials,

You must consider it the purest joy, my brothers, when you are involved in various trials, for you surely know that what is genuine in your faith produces the patient mind that endures; read more. but you must let your endurance come to its perfect product, so that you may be fully developed and perfectly equipped, without any defects. But if any one of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask God who generously gives to everyone and never reproaches one with its lack, and it will be given to him.

For the sun comes up with its scorching heat and dries up the grass, and its flowers wither, and its beauty fades away; so will rich men fade away in their pursuits.

No one must say, when he is tempted to do evil, "I have a temptation from God to do evil," for God cannot be tempted to do evil, and He never tempts anyone to do so.

In accordance with His will He made us His children by the message of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits among His creatures.

for a man's anger does not produce the uprightness that God requires.

for a man's anger does not produce the uprightness that God requires.

Keep on obeying this message; do not merely listen to it, and so deceive yourselves.

Keep on obeying this message; do not merely listen to it, and so deceive yourselves. Because if anyone merely listens to the message without obeying it, he is like a man who looks in a mirror at his own face, read more. for he looks and then goes off and at once forgets how he looked. But the man who looks at the flawless law that makes men free, and keeps on looking, proving himself to be, not a forgetful hearer but an actual doer of what it requires, will be blessed in what he does. If anyone thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue, but deceives himself, his religious worship is worthless. A religious worship that is pure and stainless in the sight of God the Father is this: To look after orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep one's own self unstained by the world.

For if a man with a gold ring, dressed in fine clothes, comes to your meeting, and at the same time a poor man clad in dirty clothes,

For if a man with a gold ring, dressed in fine clothes, comes to your meeting, and at the same time a poor man clad in dirty clothes,

Listen, my dearly loved brothers. Has not God chosen the poor of the world to be rich in faith and to possess the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?

Are not they the ones who scoff at the beautiful name you bear? But if you really observe the law of the King in accordance with the Scripture, "You must love your neighbor as you do yourself," you are doing right;

For whoever obeys the whole law, except to slip in a single instance, is guilty of breaking it all.

For whoever obeys the whole law, except to slip in a single instance, is guilty of breaking it all.

For merciless judgment will be the portion of the merciless man; yet mercy will triumph over judgment.

So faith by itself, if it has no deeds to back it up, is dead.

So faith by itself, if it has no deeds to back it up, is dead.

Was not our forefather Abraham shown to be upright by his good deeds, namely, by offering Isaac his son upon the altar? You see that faith cooperated with his good deeds, and by his good deeds faith was made complete; read more. and so the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham put his faith in God, and it was credited to him for uprightness, and he was called God's friend."

and so the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham put his faith in God, and it was credited to him for uprightness, and he was called God's friend."

and so the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham put his faith in God, and it was credited to him for uprightness, and he was called God's friend."

Just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without good deeds is dead.

Many of you, my brothers, should avoid becoming teachers, because you know that we teachers are going to be judged with stricter judgment than other people. For we all make many a slip. If anyone never slips in speech, he is a man of maturity; he can control his whole body too.

For we all make many a slip. If anyone never slips in speech, he is a man of maturity; he can control his whole body too. If we put bridles into horses' mouths to make them obey us, we can guide their whole bodies, too.

If we put bridles into horses' mouths to make them obey us, we can guide their whole bodies, too.

If we put bridles into horses' mouths to make them obey us, we can guide their whole bodies, too. Look at ships, too; though great and driven by violent winds, they are steered with a tiny rudder wherever the pilot pleases.

Look at ships, too; though great and driven by violent winds, they are steered with a tiny rudder wherever the pilot pleases.

Look at ships, too; though great and driven by violent winds, they are steered with a tiny rudder wherever the pilot pleases. So the tongue, too, is a little organ but can boast of great achievements. See how a spark, ever so tiny, can set a vast forest on fire!

So the tongue, too, is a little organ but can boast of great achievements. See how a spark, ever so tiny, can set a vast forest on fire!

So the tongue, too, is a little organ but can boast of great achievements. See how a spark, ever so tiny, can set a vast forest on fire! And the tongue is a fire, and takes its place among the parts of our bodies as a world of evil; it soils the whole body and sets on fire the circle of man's nature, and itself is set on fire by hell.

And the tongue is a fire, and takes its place among the parts of our bodies as a world of evil; it soils the whole body and sets on fire the circle of man's nature, and itself is set on fire by hell.

And the tongue is a fire, and takes its place among the parts of our bodies as a world of evil; it soils the whole body and sets on fire the circle of man's nature, and itself is set on fire by hell. For every kind of beasts and birds, of reptiles and sea animals, can be, or have been, tamed by man;

For every kind of beasts and birds, of reptiles and sea animals, can be, or have been, tamed by man;

For every kind of beasts and birds, of reptiles and sea animals, can be, or have been, tamed by man; but the tongue no human being can tame. It is an evil incapable of being quieted, full of deadly poison.

but the tongue no human being can tame. It is an evil incapable of being quieted, full of deadly poison.

but the tongue no human being can tame. It is an evil incapable of being quieted, full of deadly poison. With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse men who are made in God's likeness.

With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse men who are made in God's likeness.

With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse men who are made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth flow blessing and cursing! It ought not to be like this, my brothers.

Out of the same mouth flow blessing and cursing! It ought not to be like this, my brothers.

Out of the same mouth flow blessing and cursing! It ought not to be like this, my brothers. A fountain cannot pour from the same opening fresh and brackish water, can it?

A fountain cannot pour from the same opening fresh and brackish water, can it?

A fountain cannot pour from the same opening fresh and brackish water, can it? A fig tree, my brothers, cannot bear olives, or a grape-vine figs, can it? And a salt spring cannot furnish fresh water.

A fig tree, my brothers, cannot bear olives, or a grape-vine figs, can it? And a salt spring cannot furnish fresh water.

A fig tree, my brothers, cannot bear olives, or a grape-vine figs, can it? And a salt spring cannot furnish fresh water. Who among you is wise and intelligent? Let him show by his noble living that his good deeds are done in humility, which wisdom prompts.

Who among you is wise and intelligent? Let him show by his noble living that his good deeds are done in humility, which wisdom prompts. But if you cherish bitter jealousy and rivalry in your hearts, stop being proud of it and stop being false to the standard of truth.

But if you cherish bitter jealousy and rivalry in your hearts, stop being proud of it and stop being false to the standard of truth. This is not the kind of wisdom that comes down from above; no, it is earthly, human, demoniacal. read more. For wherever jealousy and rivalry exist, there will be confusion and all sorts of evil practices. The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of compassion and good deeds, free from doubts and insincerity.

The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of compassion and good deeds, free from doubts and insincerity. The harvest of uprightness is grown from the seed of peace by those who are peacemakers.

The harvest of uprightness is grown from the seed of peace by those who are peacemakers.

What causes wars and quarrels among you? Is it not your different desires which are ever at war within your bodies? You desire things and cannot have them, and so you commit murder.

What causes wars and quarrels among you? Is it not your different desires which are ever at war within your bodies? You desire things and cannot have them, and so you commit murder.

You faithless wives! Do you not know that the friendship of the world means enmity with God? So whoever wants to be a friend to the world puts himself down as an enemy to God.

But He gives a greater spiritual blessing. He says, "God opposes haughty people but blesses humble people." So then, submit to God. Resist the devil and he will fly from you.

So then, submit to God. Resist the devil and he will fly from you.

Be miserable, mourn ... and weep aloud. Let your laughter be turned to grief and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you high. read more. Stop talking against one another, brothers. Whoever is in the habit of talking against a brother or of criticizing his brother is criticizing and condemning the law. But if you are in the habit of criticizing the law, you are not a practicer but a critic of the law.

Stop talking against one another, brothers. Whoever is in the habit of talking against a brother or of criticizing his brother is criticizing and condemning the law. But if you are in the habit of criticizing the law, you are not a practicer but a critic of the law. There is but one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who has the power to save and to destroy; then who are you that you presume to judge your brother?

But, as it is, you boast of your proud pretensions. All such boasting is wicked. So when a man knows what is right but does not do it, he is guilty of sin.

Come now, you rich people, weep aloud and howl over the miseries that are sure to overtake you. Your wealth has rotted, your clothes are moth-eaten,

Your wealth has rotted, your clothes are moth-eaten, your gold and silver have rusted, and their rust will testify against you and devour your flesh like fire. You have stored up these things for the last days. read more. See, the wages that you have kept back from the laborers who reaped your fields are crying aloud, and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts.

See, the wages that you have kept back from the laborers who reaped your fields are crying aloud, and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. Here on earth you have lived in luxury and self-indulgence; you have fattened your hearts for the day of slaughter. read more. You have condemned and murdered the upright man; he offers no resistance. So be patient, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer keeps on waiting and waiting for the precious crop from his land; how he keeps up his patience over it until he gets the early and late rains,

So be patient, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer keeps on waiting and waiting for the precious crop from his land; how he keeps up his patience over it until he gets the early and late rains, You must be patient, too; you must put iron into your hearts, because the coming of the Lord is close at hand.

You must be patient, too; you must put iron into your hearts, because the coming of the Lord is close at hand. Stop muttering against one another, brothers, so as to keep from being judged yourselves. Look! The Judge is standing at the very door. read more. As an example of ill-treatment and patience, brothers, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord.

As an example of ill-treatment and patience, brothers, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord. See how we call those who thus endured happy! You have heard how patiently Job endured and have seen how the Lord finally blessed him, because the Lord is tenderhearted and merciful. read more. Above all, my brothers, stop swearing, either by heaven or by the earth, or by anything else. Let your "Yes" mean Yes, and your "No," No, so as to keep from falling under condemnation.

Is anyone sick among you? He should call in the elders of the church, and they should pray over him, and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord, and the prayer that is offered in faith will save the sick man; the Lord will raise him to health, and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.

you may be sure that whoever brings a sinner back from his evil ways will save the man's soul from death, and cover up a multitude of sins.

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the foreign-born Jews who are scattered over Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In accordance with His great mercy He has begotten us anew to an ever living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead;

In such a hope keep on rejoicing, although for a little while you must be sorrow-stricken with various trials,

For "All human life is just like grass, and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass dries up; the flowers drop off.

Dearly beloved, I beg you as aliens and exiles to keep on abstaining from the evil desires of your lower nature, because they are always at war with the soul. Keep on living upright lives among the heathen, so that, when they slander you as evildoers, by what they see of your good deeds they may come to praise God on the judgment day.

Above everything else keep your love for one another fervent, because love covers up a multitude of sins.

Dearly beloved, do not be astonished that a test by fire is coming upon you, as though something strange were happening to you, but so far as you are sharing Christ's sufferings, keep on rejoicing, so that at the uncovering of His glory you may rejoice triumphantly. read more. If you are suffering abuse because you bear the name of Christ, you are happy, because the glorious Spirit of God is resting upon you.

You younger men, on your part, must be submissive to the elders. And you must all put on the servant's apron of humility to one another, because God opposes the haughty but bestows His unmerited favor on the humble. Therefore humbly submit to God's strong hand, so that at the proper time He may exalt you.

Therefore humbly submit to God's strong hand, so that at the proper time He may exalt you.

Therefore humbly submit to God's strong hand, so that at the proper time He may exalt you.

Resist him and be strong in faith, because you know that your brotherhood all over the world is experiencing the same sort of sufferings.