The General Epistle of James

⭑ Literal Standard Version :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

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- Chapter 1 -

(Jude 1:1–2)

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes who are in the dispersion: Greetings!

Rejoicing in Trials

(Philippians 1:12–20)

Count [it] all joy, my brothers, when you may fall into manifold temptations,

knowing that the proof of your faith works endurance,

and let the endurance have a perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

And if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask from God, who is giving to all generously, and not reproaching, and it will be given to him;

but let him ask in faith, doubting nothing, for he who is doubting has been like a wave of the sea, driven by wind and tossed;

for do not let that man suppose that he will receive anything from the LORD—

a soul-split man [is] unstable in all his ways.

And let the brother who is low rejoice in his exaltation,

but the rich in his becoming low, because he will pass away as a flower of grass;

for the sun rose with the burning heat, and withered the grass, and the flower of it fell, and the beauty of its appearance perished, so also the rich in his way will fade away!

Blessed [is] the man who endures temptation, because, becoming approved, he will receive the garland of life, which the LORD promised to those loving Him.

Good and Perfect Gifts

Let no one who is being tempted say, “I am tempted from God,” for God is not tempted by evils, and Himself tempts no one,

but each one is tempted, being led away and enticed by his own desires;

afterward the desire having conceived, gives birth to sin, and sin having been perfected, brings forth death.

Do not be led astray, my beloved brothers.

Every good giving, and every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variation, or shadow of turning;

having willed [it], He begot us with a word of truth, for our being a certain first-fruit of His creatures.

Hearing and Doing

So then, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger,

for the wrath of a man does not work the righteousness of God;

for this reason, having put aside all filthiness and superabundance of evil, receive the implanted word in meekness, that is able to save your souls;

and become doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves,

because, if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, this one has been like to a man viewing his natural face in a mirror,

for he viewed himself, and has gone away, and immediately he forgot what kind of [man] he was;

but he who looked into [the] perfect law—that of liberty, and continued there, not becoming a forgetful hearer, but a doer of work—this one will be blessed in his doing.

If anyone thinks to be religious among you, not bridling his tongue, but deceiving his heart, the religion of this one [is] vain;

religion pure and undefiled with the God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their tribulation—to keep himself unspotted from the world.

(Jude 1:1–2)

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,(a) to the twelve tribes which are in the Dispersion: Greetings.

Rejoicing in Trials

(Philippians 1:12–20)

Count it all joy, my brothers,(b) when you fall into various temptations,

knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

Let endurance have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

But let him ask in faith, without any doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven by the wind and tossed.

For that man shouldn’t think that he will receive anything from the Lord.

He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

Let the brother in humble circumstances glory in his high position;

and the rich, in that he is made humble, because like the flower in the grass, he will pass away.

For the sun arises with the scorching wind and withers the grass; and the flower in it falls, and the beauty of its appearance perishes. So the rich man will also fade away in his pursuits.

Blessed is a person who endures temptation, for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord promised to those who love him.

Good and Perfect Gifts

Let no man say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God,” for God can’t be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one.

But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own lust and enticed.

Then the lust, when it has conceived, bears sin. The sin, when it is full grown, produces death.

Don’t be deceived, my beloved brothers.

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation nor turning shadow.

Of his own will he gave birth to us by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.

Hearing and Doing

So, then, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger;

for the anger of man doesn’t produce the righteousness of God.

Therefore, putting away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness, receive with humility the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.(c)

But be doers of the word, and not only hearers, deluding your own selves.

For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man looking at his natural face in a mirror;

for he sees himself, and goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.

But he who looks into the perfect law of freedom and continues, not being a hearer who forgets but a doer of the work, this man will be blessed in what he does.

If anyone among you thinks himself to be religious while he doesn’t bridle his tongue, but deceives his heart, this man’s religion is worthless.

Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

Footnotes

(a)1:1 “Christ” means “Anointed One”.

(b)1:2 The word for “brothers” here and where context allows may also be correctly translated “brothers and sisters” or “siblings.”