forasmuch as ye know how that the trying of your faith bringeth patience:

and let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and sound, lacking nothing.

But let him ask in faith, and waver not. For he that doubteth is like the waves of the sea, tossed of the wind, and carried with violence.

Neither let that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted,

and the rich in that he is made low. For even as the flower of the grass shall he vanish away.

Happy is the man that endureth in temptation, for when he is tried he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

Let no man say when he is tempted that he is tempted of God: for God tempteth not unto evil, neither tempteth he any man.

Of his own will begat he us with the word of life, that we should be the first fruits of his creatures.

For the wrath of man worketh not that which is righteous before God.

Wherefore lay apart all filthiness, all superfluity of maliciousness, and receive with meekness the word that is grafted in you, which is able to save your souls:

And see that ye be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves with sophistry.

For if any hear the word, and do it not, he is like unto a man that beholdeth his bodily face in a glass.

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

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

Do not they speak evil of that good name after which ye be named?

For he that said, "Thou shalt not commit adultery," said also, "thou shalt not kill." Though thou shalt do none adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art a transgressor of the law.

So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.

For there shall be judgment, merciless, to him that showeth no mercy, and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.

Believest thou that there is one God? Thou doest well. The devils also believe and tremble.

Wilt thou understand, o thou vain man, that faith without deeds is dead?

Thou seest how that faith wrought within his deeds, and through the deeds was the faith made perfect.

Ye see, then, how that of deeds a man is justified, and not of faith only.

My brethren, be not every man a master; Remembering how that we shall receive the more damnation.

Behold, we put bits into the horses' mouths that they should obey us, and we turn about all the body.

and the tongue is fire, and a world of wickedness. So is the tongue set among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth afire all that we have of nature, and is itself set afire, even of hell.

If any man be wise and endued with learning among you, let him show the works of his good conversation in meekness that is coupled with wisdom.

but the wisdom that is from above, is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without judging, and without simulation.

Yea, and the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace, of them that maintain peace.

From whence cometh war, and fighting among you? Come they not here hence, even of your voluptuousness that raineth in your members?

Ye adulterers, and women that break matrimony: know ye not how that the friendship of the world is enmity to Godward? Whosoever will be friend of the world, is made the enemy of God.

Either do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, "The spirit that dwelleth in you, lusteth even contrary to envy,"

Backbite not one another, brethren. He that backbiteth his brother, and he that judgeth his brother, backbiteth the law, and judgeth the law: but and if thou judge the law, thou art not an observer of the law: but a judge.

There is one law giver, which is able to save and to destroy. What art thou that judgest another man?

Go to now, ye that say, "Today and tomorrow let us go into such a city and continue there a year and buy, and sell, and win,"

and yet cannot tell what shall happen tomorrow. For what thing is your life? It is even a vapor that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

For that, ye ought to say, "If the Lord will, and if we live, let us do this or that."

Therefore to him that knoweth how to do good, and doth it not: to him, it is sin.

Go to now, ye rich men. Weep, and howl on your wretchedness that shall come upon you.

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

Elijah was a man, mortal even as we are, and he prayed in his prayer, that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.

let the same know, that he which converted the sinner from going astray out of his way, shall save a soul from death, and shall hide the multitude of sins. {Here ends the General Epistle of James}