| International Standard Version | English Standard Version |
| 1From: James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus, the Messiah. To: The twelve tribes in the Dispersion. Greetings. | 1James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings. |
| 2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you are involved in various trials, | 2Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, |
| 3because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. | 3for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. |
| 4But you must let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing. | 4And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. |
| 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. | 5If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 7Such a person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. | 7For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; |
| 8He is a double-minded man, unstable in all he undertakes. | 8he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. |
| 9A brother of humble means should rejoice in his having been exalted, | 9Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, |
| 10and a rich person in his having been humbled, because he will fade away like a wild flower. | 10and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 14Instead, each person is tempted by his own desire, being lured and trapped by it. | 14But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. |
| 15When that desire becomes pregnant, it gives birth to sin; and when that sin grows up, it gives birth to death. | 15Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. |
| 16Do not be deceived, my dear brothers. | 16Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 18Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. |
| 19You must understand this, my dear brothers. Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. | 19Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; |
| 20For human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. | 20for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. |
| 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. | 21Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. |
| 22Keep on being obedient to the word, and not merely being hearers who deceive themselves. | 22But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. |
| 23For if anyone hears the word but is not obedient to it, he is like a man who looks at himself in a mirror | 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. |
| 24and studies himself carefully, and then goes off and immediately forgets what he looks like. | 24For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 26If anyone thinks that he is religious and does not bridle his tongue, but instead deceives himself, his religion is worthless. | 26If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. |
| 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. | 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. |
The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. | 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. |
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