James 1

Disciples’ Literal New Testament

1 James, a slave of God and the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes in the dispersion: Greetings.

Endure Your Trials With Joy, Asking God For Wisdom And Viewing Life From His Standpoint

² Regard it all joy, my brothers, whenever you fall-into^[a] various trials, ³ knowing that the testing of your faith is producing endurance. ⁴ And let endurance be having its complete^[b] work in order that you may be complete and whole, lacking in nothing. ⁵ And if any of you is lacking wisdom, let him be asking from the God giving generously to all and not reproaching^[c], and it will be given to him. ⁶ But let him be asking in faith, not doubting^[d] at all. For the one doubting is like a surge of the sea being blown-by-wind and tossed. ⁷ For let that person not be supposing that he will receive anything from the Lord— ⁸ a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. ⁹ And let the lowly^[e] brother be boasting in his height, ¹⁰ and the rich one in his lowliness, because he will pass-away like a flower of grass. ¹¹ For the sun rose with the burning-heat and dried-up the grass, and its flower fell-off and the beauty of its appearance perished. In this manner also the rich one will fade-away in his pursuits. ¹² Blessed^[f] is the man who endures the trial, because having become^[g] approved, he will receive the crown of ^[h] life which He promised to the ones loving Him.

But Temptation To Evil Comes From Within, Not From God

¹³ Let no one being tempted be saying that “I am being tempted by^[i] God”. For God is not-tempted by evils. And He Himself tempts no one, ¹⁴ but each one is tempted by^[j] his own desire while being drawn-away^[k] and enticed^[l]. ¹⁵ Then the desire, having conceived, gives-birth to sin. And the sin, having been fully-formed^[m], brings-forth death. ¹⁶ Do not be deceived!

Receive God’s Lifegiving Gift of The Implanted Word With Gentleness Toward Others, Not Anger

My^[n] beloved brothers, ¹⁷ every good gift-giving^[o] and every perfect gift-given is from-above, coming down from the Father of lights^[p], with Whom there is no variation^[q] or shadow^[r] of turning. ¹⁸ Having willed^[s] it, He brought^[t] us forth by the word of truth so that we might be a kind-of firstfruit of His creatures. ¹⁹ You know^[u] this, my beloved brothers, but^[v] let every person be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow into anger. ²⁰ For the anger of a man does not produce^[w] the righteousness of God. ²¹ Therefore having laid-aside all filthiness and abundance^[x] of badness, receive with gentleness the implanted word being able to save your souls.

But Be Doers of The Word, Not Hearers Only

²² But be^[y] doers of the word and not hearers only, deluding^[z] yourselves. ²³ Because if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, this one is like a man considering^[aa] the face of his birth^[ab] in a mirror. ²⁴ For he considered himself and has gone-away and immediately forgot^[ac] what-sort of man he was. ²⁵ But the one having looked into the perfect law of liberty and having continued, not having become a forgetful^[ad] hearer, but a doer of work— this one will be blessed in his doing. ²⁶ If anyone thinks that he is religious while not bridling^[ae] his tongue, but deceiving his heart, the religion^[af] of this one is worthless^[ag]. ²⁷ This is pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father— to be looking-after orphans and widows in their affliction; to be keeping oneself unspotted by the world.