Wherefore lift up the hands that hang down, and the palsied knees;

and make straight paths for your feet, that that which is lame be not turned out of the way, but rather be healed.

Continue to live in peace with everybody and strive for that consecration without which no one can see the Lord.

looking carefully lest there be any man that falleth short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you , and thereby the many be defiled;

And that there may not be any evil liver, or any man without respect for God, like Esau, who let his birthright go for a plate of food.

For ye know that even when he afterward desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected; for he found no place for a change of mind in his father, though he sought is diligently with tears.

For ye are not come unto a mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, and unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest,

and the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard entreated that no word more should be spoken unto them;

for they could not endure that which was enjoined, If even a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned;

and so fearful was the appearance, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:

No, but it is to Mount Zion that you have drawn near, the City of the Living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to countless hosts of angels,

and to the church of the firstborn ones [i.e., those who have received an inheritance from their Father], whose names are recorded in heaven. [See Luke 10:20]. [You have come] to God, who is the Judge of all people, and to the spirits of righteous people who have become [morally] perfect [i.e., that great company of God's people who have gone on to their heavenly reward],

and to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better than that of Abel.

See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not when they refused him that warned them on earth, much more'shall not we escape who turn away from him that warneth from heaven:

whose voice shook the earth at that time, but now he has promised, saying, "Yet once [more] I will shake not only the earth but also heaven."

And this word , Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that have been made, that those things which are not shaken may remain.

Wherefore, receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us have grace, whereby we may offer service well-pleasing to God with reverence and awe:

Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; them that are illtreated, as being yourselves also in the body.

Marriage is every where honourable, and that state is innocent: but the licentious and adulterers God will punish.

The Way of life is to be without love of money, being content with the things that are present, for he has said, I will, no, not leave thee, and also, I will, no, not forsake thee.

So that with good courage we say, The Lord is my helper; I will not fear: What shall man do unto me?

Remember them that had the rule over you, men that spake unto you the word of God; and considering the issue of their life, imitate their faith.

Jesus Christ is the same today that he was yesterday, and he will be so forever.

Be not carried away by divers and strange teachings: for it is good that the heart be established by grace; not by meats, wherein they that occupied themselves were not profited.

We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat that serve the tabernacle.

than the sacrificers had to eat of the flesh of those beasts, which were burnt without the camp, and whose blood the highpriest carried into the sanctuary.

Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people through his own blood, suffered without the gate.

Let us, therefore, go to Him outside the camp, enduring the reproach that He endured;

For here we have no enduring city, but we seek that which is coming.

Through him then let us offer up a sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of lips which make confession to his name.

And forget not to be kind and liberal; for with that sort of sacrifice God is well pleased.

Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit to them : for they watch in behalf of your souls, as they that shall give account; that they may do this with joy, and not with grief: for this were unprofitable for you.

Pray for us: for we are persuaded that we have a good conscience, desiring to live honorably in all things.

And I exhort you the more exceedingly to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner.

Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of an eternal covenant,

make you perfect in every good thing to do his will, working in us that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be the glory for ever and ever. Amen.

But I beseech you, brethren, bear the word of exhortation, for it is but in few words that I have written to you.

Know ye that our brother Timothy hath been set at liberty; with whom, if he come shortly, I will see you.

Salute all them that have the rule over you, and all the saints. They of Italy salute you.

James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, sends greetings to the twelve tribes that are scattered over the world.

Consider the various tryals that surround you, my brethren, as matter of great joy; knowing this,

Knowing that the proving of your faith worketh patience.

And let patience have its perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, lacking in nothing.

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.

But let him ask in faith, nothing doubting: for he that doubteth is like the surge of the sea driven by the wind and tossed.

For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord;

because he is double-minded and undecided in all that he does [i.e., he cannot make up his mind and follow through about anything].

But let the brother of low position be glad that he is lifted up;

and the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.

For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass [so that] its flower [blossoms] fall off, and its beautiful appearance is destroyed. In the same way, the wealthy person will fade away as he goes about his business [affairs].

Blessed is the man that endureth temptation; for when he hath been approved, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord promised to them that love him.

Let no man under temptation, say, it is God that tempts him; for as he is incapable of moral evil, he can't influence any one thereto.

But each man is tempted by his own lusts that allure and entice him.

When that desire becomes pregnant, it gives birth to sin; and when that sin grows up, it gives birth to death.

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, neither shadow that is cast by turning.

Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

So that, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath;

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

wherefore having put aside all filthiness and superabundance of evil, in meekness be receiving the engrafted word, that 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.

But he that looketh into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and'so continueth, being not a hearer that forgetteth but a doer that worketh, this man shall be blessed in his doing.

But if any one seems to be religious, bridling not his own tongue, but deceiving his own heart, the religion of that man is vain.

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.

and ye have regard to him that weareth the fine clothing, and say, Sit thou here in a good place; and ye say to the poor man, Stand thou there, or sit under my footstool;

do ye not make a partial difference within yourselves, and become judges that reason wickedly?

Hearken, my beloved brethren; did not God choose them that are poor as to the world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to them that love him?

Yet you dishonored that poor man. Don’t the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts?

Do they not blaspheme the good name that was called upon you?

If, agreeably to the scriptures, you observe that royal law, "thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self," you do well.

But if ye regard one person more than another, ye commit sin, and are rebuked of the law as transgressors.

for he that violates but one precept of the whole law, is as obnoxious to punishment, as if he had broke thro' all the rest.

For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou dost not commit adultery, but killest, thou art become a transgressor of the law.

So speak ye, and so do, as men that are to be judged by a law of liberty.

For judgment is without mercy to him that hath showed no mercy: mercy glorieth against judgment.

What doth it profit, my brethren, if a man say he hath faith, but have not works? can that faith save him?

Can that faith save him? If a brother or a sister be naked,

and one of you says to him, "Blessings on you, keep warm, eat until you have aplenty," without giving him the things that are needed for the body, what good does it do?

Thou believest that God is one; thou doest well: the demons also believe, and shudder.

But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith apart from works is barren?

Was not Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son upon the altar?

Thou seest that faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect;

And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and this [faith] was credited to him [by God] as righteousness and as conformity to His will,” and he was called the friend of God.

Ye see that by works a man is justified, and not only by faith.

And in like manner was not also Rahab the harlot justified by works, in that she received the messengers, and sent them out another way?

Be not many of you teachers, my brethren, knowing that we shall receive heavier judgment.

for we are all liable to frequent mistakes. he that does not give too great a loose to his tongue, is an accomplish'd person and fit to moderate the whole church.

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

And look at ships! They are so big that it takes strong winds to drive them, yet they are steered by a tiny rudder wherever the helmsman directs.

And, the tongue, is a fire, - as , the world of unrighteousness, the tongue, becometh fixed among our members, that which defileth the whole body and setteth on fire the wheel of our natural life, and is set on fire, by gehenna!

no man can tame the tongue, restless evil that it is, full of deadly poison.

By that we give praises to God the father: and that pronounces curses even against men, who are form'd after the divine resemblance.

Out of the same mouth goes forth blessing and cursing. It is not right, my brethren, that these things should be thus.

can a fig-tree, my brethren, produce olives, or a vine figs? no more can the sea yield water that is fresh.

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 have bitter jealousy and faction in your heart, do not be boasting of that, and be false to the truth.

This wisdom is not a wisdom that cometh down from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.

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

And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace for them that make peace.

Whence come wars and whence come fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your pleasures that war in your members?