James

knowing that the testing of your⁺ faith produces perseverance.

Now if any of you⁺ lacks wisdom, let him ask from God, the One giving generously to all and not reproaching, and it will be given to him.

But let him ask in faith, doubting nothing, for the one doubting is like a wave of the sea, being blown and being tossed by the wind.

For let that man not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord.

Let no one being tempted say, “I am being tempted from God.” For God is unable to be tempted by evils, and He Himself tempts no one.

But each one is tempted, being dragged away and being enticed by [his] own desire.

Then desire, having conceived, gives birth to sin; and sin, having become fully grown, brings forth death.

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

Having willed [it], He brought us forth by the word of truth, for us to be a certain firstfruits of His creatures.

Therefore, having put off all filthiness and abundance of wickedness, accept in meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your⁺ souls.

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deluding yourselves,

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

for he observed himself and has gone away, and immediately he forgot what kind he was.

But the one having looked intently into the perfect law, that of freedom, and having continued in [it], not having been a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work—this one will be blessed in his doing.

If indeed you⁺ fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you⁺ are doing well.

But if you⁺ show partiality, you⁺ are working sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors.

For whoever shall keep the whole law, but shall stumble in one [part], he has become guilty of all.

For the One having said, “You shall not commit adultery,” also said, “You shall not murder.” But if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.

So speak and so act as being about to be judged by the law of freedom.

For judgment without mercy [will be] to the one not having done mercy. Mercy exults over judgment.

Now if a brother or a sister is naked and lacking of daily food,

and anyone of you⁺ says to them, “Go in peace; be warmed and be filled,” but does not give to them the needful things for the body, what [is] the gain?

So also, faith, if it has no works, is dead by itself.

But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show to me your faith without works, and I will show to you faith by my works.

You believe that God is one. You do well! Even the demons believe [that], and shudder!

You see that faith was working with his works, and by works, faith was perfected.

For just as the body without spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.

For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in word, this one [is] a perfect man, able to bridle even the whole body.

Now if we put bits into the mouths of the horses for them to obey us, we turn about even their whole body.

Behold also the ships, being so great and being driven by strong winds, are turned about by a very small rudder where the impulse of the one steering intends.

So also the tongue is a small member, and it boasts great [things]. Behold what size a fire, what size a forest it kindles.

And the tongue [is] a fire, the world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, and setting aflame the course of nature, and [itself] being set aflame by Gehenna.

For every nature both of beasts and of birds, both of creeping things and things of the sea, is subdued and has been subdued by the human race,

but no one of men is able to subdue the tongue; [it is] an unstable evil, full of deadly poison.

With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, those having been made according to the likeness of God.

Out of the same mouth come out blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.

Does the spring send forth out of the same opening sweet and bitter?

Is a fig tree able, my brothers, to make olives, or a vine, figs? Neither [can] salt prooduce sweet water.

Who [is] wise and understanding among you⁺? Let him show [it] out of the good conduct his works in meekness of wisdom.

But if you⁺ have bitter jealousy and self-interest in your⁺ heart, do not boast and lie against the truth.

This is not the wisdom coming down from above, but [is] earthly, unspiritual, demonic.

For where jealousy and self-interest [are], there [are] disorder and every evil thing.

But the wisdom from above is indeed first pure, then peaceable, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and of good fruits, impartial, unhypocritical.

You⁺ ask and do not receive, because you⁺ ask wrongly, that you⁺ may spend [it] in your⁺ pleasures.

Therefore subject yourselves to God. But resist the devil, and he will flee from you⁺.

Do not speak against one another, brothers. The one speaking against a brother or judging his brother speaks against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law, but a judge.

One is the Lawgiver and Judge, the One being able to save and to destroy. But who are you, the one judging the neighbor?

Come now, those saying, “Today or tomorrow we will go into this city, and will spend a year there and will trade and make gain,”

Instead, you⁺ [ought] to say, “If the Lord is willing, both we will live and we will do this or that.”

Therefore to the one knowing to do good, and not doing [it], to him it is sin.

Come now, [you] rich, weep, wailing over the miseries that [are] coming upon you⁺.

Your⁺ riches have rotted and your⁺ garments have become moth-eaten.

Your⁺ gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be for a testimony against you⁺ and will eat your⁺ flesh like fire. You⁺ treasured up in the last days.

Behold, the wage of the workers having mowed your⁺ fields—that having been kept back by you⁺—cries out, and the cries of those having reaped have entered into the ears of the Lord of Hosts.

You⁺ lived in luxury and you⁺ lived in self-indulgence upon the earth. You⁺ fattened your⁺ hearts in the day of slaughter.

You⁺ condemned [and] murdered the righteous one; he does not resist you⁺.

Brothers, [as] an example of suffering evil and of patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.

Behold, we count blessed those having endured. You⁺ heard of the perseverance of Job, and you⁺ saw the outcome of the Lord, that the Lord is full of compassion and [is] merciful.

But before all things, my brothers, do not swear, neither [by] heaven nor the earth nor any other oath. But let your⁺ “Yes” be yes, and the “No,” no, so that you⁺ might not fall under judgment.

Is anyone among you⁺ suffering evil? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praises.

Therefore confess the sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you⁺ may be healed. The supplication of a righteous [man] being made effective prevails much.