| Holman Christian Standard Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ: To the 12 tribes in the Dispersion. Greetings. | 1From: James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus, the Messiah. To: The twelve tribes in the Dispersion. Greetings. |
| 2Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, | 2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you are involved in various trials, |
| 3knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. | 3because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. |
| 4But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing. | 4But you must let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing. |
| 5Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without criticizing, and it will be given to him. | 5Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to everyone generously without a rebuke, and it will be given to him. |
| 6But let him ask in faith without doubting. For the doubter is like the surging sea, driven and tossed by the wind. | 6But he must ask in faith, without any doubts, for the one who has doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. |
| 7That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. | 7Such a person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. |
| 8An indecisive man is unstable in all his ways. | 8He is a double-minded man, unstable in all he undertakes. |
| 9The brother of humble circumstances should boast in his exaltation, | 9A brother of humble means should rejoice in his having been exalted, |
| 10but the one who is rich should boast in his humiliation because he will pass away like a flower of the field. | 10and a rich person in his having been humbled, because he will fade away like a wild flower. |
| 11For the sun rises with its scorching heat and dries up the grass; its flower falls off, and its beautiful appearance is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will wither away while pursuing his activities. | 11For the sun comes up with its scorching heat and dries up the grass. The flower in it drops off, and its beauty is gone. That is how the rich person will fade away in his pursuits. |
| 12A man who endures trials is blessed, because when he passes the test he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him. | 12How blessed is the man who endures temptation! When he has passed the test, he will receive the victor's crown of life that God has promised to those who keep on loving him. |
| 13No one undergoing a trial should say, "I am being tempted by God." For God is not tempted by evil, and He Himself doesn't tempt anyone. | 13When someone is tempted, he should not say, "I am being tempted by God," because God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone. |
| 14But each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own evil desires. | 14Instead, each person is tempted by his own desire, being lured and trapped by it. |
| 15Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death. | 15When that desire becomes pregnant, it gives birth to sin; and when that sin grows up, it gives birth to death. |
| 16Don't be deceived, my dearly loved brothers. | 16Do not be deceived, my dear brothers. |
| 17Every generous act and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights; with Him there is no variation or shadow cast by turning. | 17Every generous act of giving and every perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father who made the heavenly lights, in whom there is no inconsistency or shifting shadow. |
| 18By His own choice, He gave us a new birth by the message of truth so that we would be the firstfruits of His creatures. | 18In accordance with his will he made us his children by the word of truth, so that we might become the most important of his creatures. |
| 19My dearly loved brothers, understand this: Everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger, | 19You must understand this, my dear brothers. Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. |
| 20for man's anger does not accomplish God's righteousness. | 20For human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. |
| 21Therefore, ridding yourselves of all moral filth and evil, humbly receive the implanted word, which is able to save you. | 21Therefore, rid yourselves of everything impure and every expression of wickedness, and with a gentle spirit welcome the word planted in you that can save your souls. |
| 22But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. | 22Keep on being obedient to the word, and not merely being hearers who deceive themselves. |
| 23Because if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man looking at his own face in a mirror. | 23For if anyone hears the word but is not obedient to it, he is like a man who looks at himself in a mirror |
| 24For he looks at himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. | 24and studies himself carefully, and then goes off and immediately forgets what he looks like. |
| 25But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom and perseveres in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but one who does good works--this person will be blessed in what he does. | 25But the one who looks at the perfect law of freedom and remains committed to it—thereby demonstrating that he is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of what that law requires—will be blessed in what he does. |
| 26If anyone thinks he is religious without controlling his tongue, then his religion is useless and he deceives himself. | 26If anyone thinks that he is religious and does not bridle his tongue, but instead deceives himself, his religion is worthless. |
| 27Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained by the world. | 27A religion that is pure and stainless according to God the Father is this: to take care of orphans and widows who are suffering, and to keep oneself unstained by the world. |
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