1 ^1:1JAMES, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes in the dispersion, greeting. ^1:2Account it all joy, my brothers, when you fall into various trials, ^1:3knowing that the trial of your faith produces patience. ^1:4But let patience have a perfect work, that you may be perfect and entire, lacking in nothing. ^1:5And if any one of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and upbraids not, and it shall be given him. ^1:6But let him ask in faith, not doubting; for he that doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven with the wind and agitated. ^1:7For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing from the Lord, ^1:8a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. ^1:9But let the brother that is humble rejoice in his exaltation, ^1:10and the rich in his humiliation, for he shall pass away like a flower of the grass. ^1:11For the sun rose hot, and withered the grass, and its flower fell off, and the beauty of its appearance perished; so also shall the rich man perish in his ways.

2 ^1:12Blessed is the man who endures trial, for when proved he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord promised to those who love him. ^1:13Let no tempted one say, I am tempted by God; for God is not subject to temptation by evils, and he tempts no one. ^1:14But every one is tempted when he is drawn away by his desires, and enticed; ^1:15then the desire taking effect produces sin, and sin being finished brings forth death.

3 ^1:16Be not deceived, my beloved brothers. ^1:17All good giving, and every perfect gift, comes down from above, from the Father of lights, with whom there is no change or shadow of turning. ^1:18Of his own will begat he us by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruit of his creatures.

4 ^1:19Understand, my beloved brothers, and let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; ^1:20for man's anger performs not God's righteousness. ^1:21Wherefore, laying aside all filthiness and abounding vice, receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. ^1:22But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. ^1:23For if any one is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man perceiving his natural face in a glass; ^1:24for he perceived himself, and went away, and immediately forgot what kind of a man he was. ^1:25But he that looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, not being a forgetful hearer but a doer of work, he shall be blessed in his doing. ^1:26But if any one among you thinks he is religious, and bridles not his tongue, but deceives his mind, that man's religion is vain. ^1:27Pure religion and undefiled with the God and Father is this, to visit the orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep one's self unspotted from the world.

5 ^2:1My brothers, have not the faith of our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with a respect of persons. ^2:2For if there comes into your assembly a man with a gold ring, in splendid clothing, and there also comes in a poor man in vile clothing, ^2:3and you look upon him who wears the splendid clothing, and say to him, Sit here in a good place, and say to the poor man, Stand there, or sit under my footstool, ^2:4are you not condemned in yourselves and judges of evil thoughts?

6 ^2:5Hear, my beloved brothers. Has not God chosen the poor of the world rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to those who love him? ^2:6But you dishonor the poor. Do not the rich oppress you and drag you to tribunals? ^2:7And do they not blaspheme the good name by which you are called? ^2:8If you keep indeed the royal law according to the Scripture, You shall love your neighbor as yourself, you do well; ^2:9but if you respect persons, you commit sin, convicted by the law as transgressors. ^2:10For whoever shall keep the whole law, and offend in one point, is guilty of all. ^2:11For he that said, You shall not commit adultery, said also, You shall not kill; and if you do not commit adultery, but kill, you are a transgressor of the law. ^2:12So speak and so do, as being about to be judged by the law of liberty. ^2:13For he shall have judgment without mercy who shows not mercy; mercy rejoices over judgment.

7 ^2:14What is the profit, my brothers, if a man says he has faith, but has not works? Can faith save him? ^2:15And if a brother or sister is naked, or destitute of daily food, ^2:16and one of you says to them, Go in peace, be warmed and be filled, but gives them not the necessary supplies for the body, what is the profit? ^2:17So also faith, if it has not works, is dead, being alone. ^2:18But some one will say, You have faith, and I have works; show me your faith without works, and I will show you my faith by works. ^2:19You believe that there is one God? You do well; demons also believe and tremble. ^2:20But will you know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? ^2:21Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? ^2:22You see that faith cooperated with his works, and by works was faith made perfect, ^2:23and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, And Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him a righteousness, and he was called God's friend. ^2:24You see then that a man is justified by works and not by faith only. ^2:25And in like manner also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? ^2:26For as the body without a spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.