Chapter I: Trials, Prayer, Faith and Works

1 [1:1]JAMES, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes in the dispersion, greeting. [1:2]Account it all joy, my brothers, when you fall into various trials, [1:3]knowing that the trial of your faith produces patience. [1:4]But let patience have a perfect work, that you may be perfect and entire, lacking in nothing. [1:5]And 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. [1:6]But let him ask in faith, not doubting; for he that doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven with the wind and agitated. [1:7]For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing from the Lord, [1:8]a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. [1:9]But let the brother that is humble rejoice in his exaltation, [1:10]and the rich in his humiliation, for he shall pass away like a flower of the grass. [1:11]For 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 [1:12]Blessed 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. [1:13]Let no tempted one say, I am tempted by God; for God is not subject to temptation by evils, and he tempts no one. [1:14]But every one is tempted when he is drawn away by his desires, and enticed; [1:15]then the desire taking effect produces sin, and sin being finished brings forth death.

3 [1:16]Be not deceived, my beloved brothers. [1:17]All 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. [1:18]Of his own will begat he us by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruit of his creatures.

4 [1:19]Understand, my beloved brothers, and let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; [1:20]for man's anger performs not God's righteousness. [1:21]Wherefore, laying aside all filthiness and abounding vice, receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. [1:22]But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. [1:23]For 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; [1:24]for he perceived himself, and went away, and immediately forgot what kind of a man he was. [1:25]But 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. [1:26]But if any one among you thinks he is religious, and bridles not his tongue, but deceives his mind, that man's religion is vain. [1:27]Pure 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 [2:1]My brothers, have not the faith of our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with a respect of persons. [2:2]For 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, [2:3]and 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, [2:4]are you not condemned in yourselves and judges of evil thoughts?

6 [2:5]Hear, 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? [2:6] But you dishonor the poor. Do not the rich oppress you and drag you to tribunals? [2:7]And do they not blaspheme the good name by which you are called? [2:8]If you keep indeed the royal law according to the Scripture, You shall love your neighbor as yourself, you do well; [2:9]but if you respect persons, you commit sin, convicted by the law as transgressors. [2:10]For whoever shall keep the whole law, and offend in one point, is guilty of all. [2:11]For 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. [2:12]So speak and so do, as being about to be judged by the law of liberty. [2:13]For he shall have judgment without mercy who shows not mercy; mercy rejoices over judgment.

7 [2:14]What is the profit, my brothers, if a man says he has faith, but has not works? Can faith save him? [2:15]And if a brother or sister is naked, or destitute of daily food, [2:16]and 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? [2:17]So also faith, if it has not works, is dead, being alone. [2:18]But 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. [2:19]You believe that there is one God? You do well; demons also believe and tremble. [2:20]But will you know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? [2:21] Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? [2:22]You see that faith cooperated with his works, and by works was faith made perfect, [2:23]and 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. [2:24]You see then that a man is justified by works and not by faith only. [2:25]And in like manner also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? [2:26]For as the body without a spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.