1:1James, of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ a servant, to the Twelve Tribes who are in the dispersion: Hail!
1:2All joy count it, my brethren, when ye may fall into temptations manifold;
1:3knowing that the proof of your faith doth work endurance,
1:4and let the endurance have a perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire -- in nothing lacking;
1:5and if any of you do lack wisdom, let him ask from God, who is giving to all liberally, and not reproaching, and it shall be given to him;
1:6and let him ask in faith, nothing doubting, for he who is doubting hath been like a wave of the sea, driven by wind and tossed,
1:7for let not that man suppose that he shall receive anything from the Lord --
1:8a two-souled man is unstable in all his ways.
1:9And let the brother who is low rejoice in his exaltation,
1:10and the rich in his becoming low, because as a flower of grass he shall pass away;
1:11for the sun did rise with the burning heat, and did wither the grass, and the flower of it fell, and the grace of its appearance did perish, so also the rich in his way shall fade away!
1:12Happy the man who doth endure temptation, because, becoming approved, he shall receive the crown of the life, which the Lord did promise to those loving Him.
1:13Let no one say, being tempted -- `From God I am tempted,' for God is not tempted of evil, and Himself doth tempt no one,
1:14and each one is tempted, by his own desires being led away and enticed,
1:15afterward the desire having conceived, doth give birth to sin, and the sin having been perfected, doth bring forth death.
1:16Be not led astray, my brethren beloved;
1:17every good giving, and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the lights, with whom is no variation, or shadow of turning;
1:18having counselled, He did beget us with a word of truth, for our being a certain first-fruit of His creatures.
1:19So then, my brethren beloved, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger,
1:20for the wrath of a man the righteousness of God doth not work;
1:21wherefore having put aside all filthiness and superabundance of evil, in meekness be receiving the engrafted word, that is able to save your souls;
1:22and become ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves,
1:23because, if any one is a hearer of the word and not a doer, this one hath been like to a man viewing his natural face in a mirror,
1:24for he did view himself, and hath gone away, and immediately he did forget of what kind he was;
1:25and he who did look into the perfect law -- that of liberty, and did continue there, this one -- not a forgetful hearer becoming, but a doer of work -- this one shall be happy in his doing.
1:26If any one doth think to be religious among you, not bridling his tongue, but deceiving his heart, of this one vain is the religion;
1:27religion pure and undefiled with the God and Father is this, to look after orphans and widows in their tribulation -- unspotted to keep himself from the world.
2:1My brethren, hold not, in respect of persons, the faith of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ,
2:2for if there may come into your synagogue a man with gold ring, in gay raiment, and there may come in also a poor man in vile raiment,
2:3and ye may look upon him bearing the gay raiment, and may say to him, `Thou -- sit thou here well,' and to the poor man may say, `Thou -- stand thou there, or, Sit thou here under my footstool,' --
2:4ye did not judge fully in yourselves, and did become ill-reasoning judges.
2:5Hearken, my brethren beloved, did not God choose the poor of this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the reign that He promised to those loving Him?
2:6and ye did dishonour the poor one; do not the rich oppress you and themselves draw you to judgment-seats;
2:7do they not themselves speak evil of the good name that was called upon you?
2:8If, indeed, royal law ye complete, according to the Writing, `Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself,' -- ye do well;
2:9and if ye accept persons, sin ye do work, being convicted by the law as transgressors;
2:10for whoever the whole law shall keep, and shall stumble in one point, he hath become guilty of all;
2:11for He who is saying, `Thou mayest not commit adultery,' said also, `Thou mayest do no murder;' and if thou shalt not commit adultery, and shalt commit murder, thou hast become a transgressor of law;
2:12so speak ye and so do, as about by a law of liberty to be judged,
2:13for the judgment without kindness is to him not having done kindness, and exult doth kindness over judgment.
2:14What is the profit, my brethren, if faith, any one may speak of having, and works he may not have? is that faith able to save him?
2:15and if a brother or sister may be naked, and may be destitute of the daily food,
2:16and any one of you may say to them, `Depart ye in peace, be warmed, and be filled,' and may not give to them the things needful for the body, what is the profit?
2:17so also the faith, if it may not have works, is dead by itself.
2:18But say may some one, Thou hast faith, and I have works, shew me thy faith out of thy works, and I will shew thee out of my works my faith:
2:19thou -- thou dost believe that God is one; thou dost well, and the demons believe, and they shudder!
2:20And dost thou wish to know, O vain man, that the faith apart from the works is dead?
2:21Abraham our father -- was not he declared righteous out of works, having brought up Isaac his son upon the altar?
2:22dost thou see that the faith was working with his works, and out of the works the faith was perfected?
2:23and fulfilled was the Writing that is saying, `And Abraham did believe God, and it was reckoned to him -- to righteousness;' and, `Friend of God' he was called.
2:24Ye see, then, that out of works is man declared righteous, and not out of faith only;
2:25and in like manner also Rahab the harlot -- was she not out of works declared righteous, having received the messengers, and by another way having sent forth?
2:26for as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also the faith apart from the works is dead.