James, a Servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, greets The Twelve Tribes that are living abroad.

If one of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask wisdom from the God who gives freely to every one without reproaches, and it will be given to him.

Let no one say, when he is tempted, "It is God who is tempting me!" For God, who cannot be tempted to do wrong, does not himself tempt any one.

Every good thing given us, and every perfect gift, is from above, and comes down to us from the Maker of the Lights in the heavens, who is himself never subject to change or to eclipse.

Mark this, my dear Brothers--Let every one be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry;

For the anger of man does not forward the righteous purpose of God.

That religious observance which is pure and spotless in the eyes of God our Father is this--to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself uncontaminated by the world.

And you are deferential to the man who is wearing grand clothes, and say--"There is a good seat for you here," but to the poor man--"You must stand; or sit down there by my footstool,"

Listen, my dear Brothers. Has not God chosen those who are poor in the things of this world to be rich through their faith, and to possess the Kingdom which he has promised to those who love him?

My Brothers, what is the good of a man's saying that he has faith, if he does not prove it by actions? Can such faith save him?

And one of you were to say to them--"Go, and peace be with you; find warmth and food for yourselves," and yet you were not to give them the necessaries of life, what good would it be to them?

It is a part of your Faith, is it not, that there is one God? Good; yet even the demons have that faith, and tremble at the thought.

And that in this way the words of Scripture came true-- "Abraham believed God, and that was regarded by God as righteousness," and "He was called the friend of God."

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

Does a spring give both good and bad water from the same source?

Can a fig tree, my Brothers, bear olives? or a vine bear figs? No, nor can a brackish well give good water.

Who among you claims to be wise and intelligent? Let him show that his actions are the outcome of a good life lived in the humility of true wisdom.

But the wisdom from above is, before every thing else, pure; then peace-loving, gentle, open to conviction, rich in compassion and good deeds, and free from partiality and insincerity.

You ask, yet do not receive, because you ask for a wrong purpose--to spend what you get upon your pleasures.

Unfaithful people! Do not you know that to be friends with the world means to be at enmity with God? Therefore whoever chooses to be friends with the world makes himself an enemy to God.

Do you suppose there is no meaning in the passage of Scripture which asks--'Is envy to result from the longings of the Spirit which God has implanted within you?'

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 submit to God; but resist the Devil, and he will flee from you.

Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Make your hands clean, you sinners; and your hearts pure, you vacillating men!

You have condemned, you have murdered, the Righteous One! Must not God be opposed to you?

Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be cured. Great is the power of a good man's fervent prayer.