James
Jas.1
[1] James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad,
greeting.
[2] My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
[3] Knowing this, that the
trying of your faith worketh patience.
[4] But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect
and entire, wanting nothing.
[5] If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally,
and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
[6] But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that
wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
[7] For let not that man think that he
shall receive any thing of 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] But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower
of the grass he shall pass away.
[11] For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth
the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the
rich man fade away in his ways.
[12] Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried,
he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
[13] Let no man
say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he
any man:
[14] But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
[15] Then
when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
[16] Do
not err, my beloved brethren.
[17] Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down
from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
[18] Of his own will
begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
[19] Wherefore,
my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
[20] For the wrath
of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
[21] Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of
naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
[22] But
be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
[23] For if any be a hearer of
the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
[24] For he beholdeth
himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
[25] But whoso looketh
into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the
work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
[26] If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth
not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.
[27] Pure religion and undefiled
before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself
unspotted from the world.
Jas.2
[1] My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.
[2]
For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also
a poor man in vile raiment;
[3] And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto
him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:
[4]
Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?
[5] Hearken, my beloved
brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he
hath promised to them that love him?
[6] But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you,
and draw you before the judgment seats?
[7] Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which
ye are called?
[8] If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as
thyself, ye do well:
[9] But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as
transgressors.
[10] For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of
all.
[11] For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery,
yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.
[12] So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall
be judged by the law of liberty.
[13] For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and
mercy rejoiceth against judgment.
[14] What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith,
and have not works? can faith save him?
[15] If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
[16]
And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them
not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
[17] Even so faith, if it hath not works,
is dead, being alone.
[18] Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without
thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
[19] Thou believest that there is one God; thou