Trouble
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes scattered among the nations. Greetings. Count it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you run into all sorts of trouble, because you know that the testing of your faith produces staying power. And let that staying power finish its work, so you'll be mature and complete, not short of anything.
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes scattered among the nations. Greetings.
Count it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you run into all sorts of trouble,
because you know that the testing of your faith produces staying power.
And let that staying power finish its work, so you'll be mature and complete, not short of anything.
Ask for wisdom
If any of you is short on wisdom, ask God, who gives generously to everyone without finding fault, and it'll be given to you. But ask in faith, without doubting, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed about by the wind. That sort of person shouldn't expect to receive anything from the Lord. He's in two minds, and unsteady in everything he does.
If any of you is short on wisdom, ask God, who gives generously to everyone without finding fault, and it'll be given to you.
But ask in faith, without doubting, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed about by the wind.
That sort of person shouldn't expect to receive anything from the Lord.
He's in two minds, and unsteady in everything he does.
Rich and poor
Let the believer in humble circumstances take pride in his high position, and the rich one in his low position, because he'll pass away like a wildflower. The sun comes up with scorching heat and dries up the plant. The flower drops off and its beauty is gone. In the same way the rich man will fade away, even while he's going about his business. Blessed is the one who stands up under testing, because when he's stood the test he'll receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.
Let the believer in humble circumstances take pride in his high position,
and the rich one in his low position, because he'll pass away like a wildflower.
The sun comes up with scorching heat and dries up the plant. The flower drops off and its beauty is gone. In the same way the rich man will fade away, even while he's going about his business.
Blessed is the one who stands up under testing, because when he's stood the test he'll receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.
Where temptation comes from
When you're being tempted, don't say, “God's tempting me.” God can't be tempted by evil, and He doesn't tempt anyone. Each of us is tempted when we're dragged off and enticed by our own desire. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin. And sin, when it's full grown, gives birth to death. Don't be fooled, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who doesn't change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, so we'd be a kind of firstfruits of everything He made.
When you're being tempted, don't say, “God's tempting me.” God can't be tempted by evil, and He doesn't tempt anyone.
Each of us is tempted when we're dragged off and enticed by our own desire.
Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin. And sin, when it's full grown, gives birth to death.
Don't be fooled, my dear brothers and sisters.
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who doesn't change like shifting shadows.
He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, so we'd be a kind of firstfruits of everything He made.
Quick to listen
Take note of this, my dear brothers and sisters. Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to get angry, because human anger doesn't produce the righteousness God wants. So get rid of all the filth and the evil that's so common, and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
Take note of this, my dear brothers and sisters. Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to get angry,
because human anger doesn't produce the righteousness God wants.
So get rid of all the filth and the evil that's so common, and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
The mirror
Don't just listen to the word and fool yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word and doesn't do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and then goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks carefully into the perfect law that gives freedom, and keeps at it — not forgetting what he's heard but doing it — he'll be blessed in what he does. If anyone thinks he's religious and doesn't keep a tight rein on his tongue, he's fooling himself, and his religion is worth nothing. Religion that God the Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: looking after orphans and widows in their trouble, and keeping yourself from being polluted by the world.
Don't just listen to the word and fool yourselves. Do what it says.
Anyone who listens to the word and doesn't do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror
and then goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.
But whoever looks carefully into the perfect law that gives freedom, and keeps at it — not forgetting what he's heard but doing it — he'll be blessed in what he does.
If anyone thinks he's religious and doesn't keep a tight rein on his tongue, he's fooling himself, and his religion is worth nothing.
Religion that God the Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: looking after orphans and widows in their trouble, and keeping yourself from being polluted by the world.