| English Standard Version | Christian Standard Bible |
| 1James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings. | 1James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ: To the twelve tribes dispersed abroad. Greetings. |
| 2Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, | 2Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, |
| 3for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. | 3because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. |
| 4And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. | 4And let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing. |
| 5If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. | 5Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God--who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly--and it will be given to him. |
| 6But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. | 6But let him ask in faith without doubting. For the doubter is like the surging sea, driven and tossed by the wind. |
| 7For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; | 7That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord, |
| 8he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. | 8being double-minded and unstable in all his ways. |
| 9Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, | 9Let the brother of humble circumstances boast in his exaltation, |
| 10and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. | 10but let the rich boast in his humiliation because he will pass away like a flower of the field. |
| 11For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits. | 11For the sun rises and, together with the scorching wind, dries up the grass; its flower falls off, and its beautiful appearance perishes. In the same way, the rich person will wither away while pursuing his activities. |
| 12Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. | 12Blessed is the one who endures trials, because when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. |
| 13Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. | 13No one undergoing a trial should say, "I am being tempted by God," since God is not tempted by evil, and he himself doesn't tempt anyone. |
| 14But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. | 14But each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own evil desire. |
| 15Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. | 15Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death. |
| 16Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. | 16Don't be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. |
| 17Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. | 17Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. |
| 18Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. | 18By his own choice, he gave us birth by the word of truth so that we would be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. |
| 19Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; | 19My dear brothers and sisters, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger, |
| 20for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. | 20for human anger does not accomplish God's righteousness. |
| 21Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. | 21Therefore, ridding yourselves of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent, humbly receive the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. |
| 22But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. | 22But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. |
| 23For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. | 23Because if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like someone looking at his own face in a mirror. |
| 24For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. | 24For he looks at himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of person he was. |
| 25But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. | 25But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom and perseveres in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer who works--this person will be blessed in what he does. |
| 26If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. | 26If anyone thinks he is religious without controlling his tongue, his religion is useless and he deceives himself. |
| 27Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world. | 27Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained from the world. |
| ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. | The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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