James 1

Revised Geneva Translation

1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad: Greetings.

² My brothers, count it all joy when you fall into diverse trials,

³ knowing that the trying of your faith brings forth patience.

⁴ And let patience have her perfect work, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

⁵ If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, Who gives liberally to all and reproaches no one. And it shall be given him.

⁶ But let him ask in faith, and do not waver. For the one who wavers is like a wave of the sea, tossed by the wind and carried away.

⁷ Do not let that man think he shall receive anything from the Lord.

⁸ A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.

⁹ Let the brother of low degree rejoice, in that he is exalted;

¹⁰ likewise the one who is rich, in that he is made low. For as the flower of the grass, he shall vanish away.

¹¹ For when the sun rises with heat, the grass withers, its flower falls away and its good shape perishes. So, also, shall the rich man wither away in all his ways.

¹² Blessed is the man who endures trials. For when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

¹³ Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God.” For God cannot be tempted with evil, nor does He tempt anyone.

¹⁴ But everyone is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and is enticed.

¹⁵ Then, when lust has conceived, it brings forth sin. And sin, when it is completed, brings forth death.

¹⁶ Make no mistake, my dear brothers.

¹⁷ Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father of lights, with Whom there is no change or turning shadow.

¹⁸ Of His own will He begat us with the word of Truth, so that we would be as the firstfruits of His creatures.

¹⁹ Therefore my dear brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.

²⁰ For the wrath of man does not accomplish the righteousness of God.

²¹ Therefore, put aside all filthiness and abundance of wickedness. In humility, receive the word implanted in you which is able to save your souls.

²² And be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

²³ For if any hear the word, and does not do it, he is like a man who beholds his natural face in a mirror.

²⁴ For after he has looked at himself, he goes his way and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.

²⁵ But whoever looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues therein (not being a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work), he shall be blessed in his deed.

²⁶ If anyone among you seems religious but does not refrain his tongue and deceives his own heart, their religion is vain.

²⁷ Religion, pure and undefiled before God (even the Father) is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their adversity, and to keep oneself undefiled by the world.