1This letter is from James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. I am writing to the "twelve tribes"—Jewish believers scattered abroad. Greetings!G2385G1401G2316G2532G2962G2424G5547G1427G5443G1722G1290G5463
Faith and Endurance
2Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.G3450G80G2233G3956G5479G3752G4045G4164G39863For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.G1097G3754G1383G5216G4102G2716G52814So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.G1161G2192G5281G2192G5046G2041G2443G5600G5046G2532G3648G3007G1722G33675If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.G1161G1536G5216G3007G4678G154G3844G2316G1325G3956G574G2532G3679G3361G2532G1325G8466But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.G1161G154G1722G4102G3367G1252G1063G1252G1503G2830G2281G416G2532G44947Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.G1063G3633G3361G1565G444G3633G3754G2983G5100G3844G29628Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.G1374G435G182G1722G3956G846G35989Believers who are poor have something to boast about, for God has honored them.G1161G2744G80G5011G2744G1722G846G531110And those who are rich should boast that God has humbled them. They will fade away like a little flower in the field.G1161G4145G1722G846G5014G3754G5613G438G5528G392811The hot sun rises and the grass withers; the little flower droops and falls, and its beauty fades away. In the same way, the rich will fade away with all of their achievements.G1063G2246G393G4862G2742G2532G3583G5528G2532G438G846G1601G2532G2143G4383G846G622G3779G2532G3133G4145G3133G1722G846G419712God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.G3107G435G3739G5278G3986G3754G1384G1096G2983G4735G2222G3739G2962G1861G25G84613And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, "God is tempting me." God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else.G3004G3367G3004G3985G3754G3985G575G2316G1063G2316G551G2076G2556G1161G3985G846G3985G376214Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away.G1161G1538G3985G1828G5259G2398G1939G2532G118515These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.G1534G1939G4815G5088G266G1161G266G658G616G228816So don't be misled, my dear brothers and sisters.G4105G3361G4105G3450G27G8017Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.G3956G18G1394G2532G3956G5046G1434G2076G509G2597G575G3962G5457G3844G3739G1762G3756G3883G2228G644G515718He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession.G1014G616G2248G3056G225G1519G2248G1511G5100G536G846G2938
Listening and Doing
19Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.G5620G3450G27G80G2077G3956G444G2077G5036G1519G191G1021G1519G2980G1021G1519G370920Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.G1063G3709G435G2716G3756G1343G231621So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.G1352G659G3956G4507G2532G4050G2549G1209G1722G4240G1721G3056G3588G1410G4982G5216G559022But don't just listen to God's word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.G1161G1096G4163G3056G2532G3361G202G3440G3884G143823For if you listen to the word and don't obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror.G3754G1536G2076G202G3056G2532G3756G4163G3778G1503G435G2657G846G1078G4383G1722G207224You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like.G1063G2657G1438G2532G565G2532G2112G1950G3697G225825But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don't forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.G1161G3879G1519G5046G3551G1657G2532G3887G3778G1096G3756G1953G202G235G4163G2041G3778G2071G3107G1722G846G416226If you claim to be religious but don't control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless.G1536G1722G5213G1380G1511G2357G5468G3361G846G1100G235G538G846G2588G5127G2356G315227Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.G2513G2356G2532G283G3844G2316G2532G3962G2076G3778G1980G3737G2532G5503G1722G846G2347G5083G1438G784G575G2889
James 2
A Warning against Prejudice
2My dear brothers and sisters, how can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people over others?G3450G80G2192G3361G4102G2257G2962G2424G5547G1391G1722G43822For example, suppose someone comes into your meeting dressed in fancy clothes and expensive jewelry, and another comes in who is poor and dressed in dirty clothes.G1063G1437G1525G1519G5216G4864G435G5554G1722G2986G2066G1161G1525G2532G4434G1722G4508G20663If you give special attention and a good seat to the rich person, but you say to the poor one, "You can stand over there, or else sit on the floor"—well,G2532G1914G1909G5409G2986G2066G2532G2036G846G2521G4771G5602G2573G2532G2036G4434G2476G4771G1563G2228G2521G5602G5259G3450G52864doesn't this discrimination show that your judgments are guided by evil motives?G1252G3756G2532G1252G1722G1438G2532G1096G2923G4190G12615Listen to me, dear brothers and sisters. Hasn't God chosen the poor in this world to be rich in faith? Aren't they the ones who will inherit the Kingdom he promised to those who love him?G191G3450G27G80G1586G3756G2316G1586G4434G5127G2889G4145G1722G4102G2532G2818G932G3739G1861G25G8466But you dishonor the poor! Isn't it the rich who oppress you and drag you into court?G1161G5210G818G4434G2616G3756G4145G2616G5216G2532G846G1670G5209G1519G29227Aren't they the ones who slander Jesus Christ, whose noble name you bear?G987G3756G846G987G2570G3686G1909G5209G19418Yes indeed, it is good when you obey the royal law as found in the Scriptures: "Love your neighbor as yourself."G1487G3305G5055G937G3551G2596G1124G25G4675G4139G5613G4572G4160G25739But if you favor some people over others, you are committing a sin. You are guilty of breaking the law.G1161G1487G4380G2038G266G1651G5259G3551G5613G384810For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God's laws.G1063G3748G5083G3650G3551G1161G4417G1722G1520G1096G1777G395611For the same God who said, "You must not commit adultery," also said, "You must not murder." So if you murder someone but do not commit adultery, you have still broken the law.G1063G2036G3431G3361G3431G2036G2532G5407G3361G5407G1161G1487G3431G3756G3431G1161G5407G1096G3848G355112So whatever you say or whatever you do, remember that you will be judged by the law that sets you free.G3779G2980G2532G3779G4160G5613G3195G2919G1223G3551G165713There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you.G1063G2920G448G4160G3361G1656G2532G1656G2620G2920
Faith without Good Deeds Is Dead
14What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don't show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone?G5101G3786G3450G80G1437G5100G3004G2192G4102G1161G2192G3361G2041G1410G3361G4102G4982G84615Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing,G1437G1161G80G2228G79G5225G1131G2532G3007G5600G2184G516016and you say, "Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well"—but then you don't give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?G1161G5100G1537G5216G2036G846G5217G1722G1515G2328G2532G5526G1161G1325G846G3361G2006G4983G5101G378617So you see, faith by itself isn't enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.G2532G3779G4102G3362G2192G3362G2041G2076G3498G2596G143818Now someone may argue, "Some people have faith; others have good deeds." But I say, "How can you show me your faith if you don't have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds."G235G5100G2046G4771G2192G4102G2504G2192G2041G1166G3427G4675G4102G1537G4675G2041G2504G1166G4671G3450G4102G1537G3450G204119You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror.G4771G4100G3754G2076G1520G2316G4160G2573G1140G2532G4100G2532G542520How foolish! Can't you see that faith without good deeds is useless?G1161G2309G1097G5599G2756G444G3754G4102G5565G2041G2076G349821Don't you remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?G1344G3756G11G2257G3962G1344G1537G2041G399G2464G846G5207G1909G237922You see, his faith and his actions worked together. His actions made his faith complete.G991G3754G4102G4903G846G2041G2532G1537G2041G5048G4102G504823And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: "Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith." He was even called the friend of God.G2532G1124G4137G3004G1161G11G4100G2316G2532G3049G846G1519G1343G2532G2564G5384G231624So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone.G3708G5106G3754G1537G2041G444G1344G2532G3756G1537G4102G344025Rahab the prostitute is another example. She was shown to be right with God by her actions when she hid those messengers and sent them safely away by a different road.G3668G1161G2532G1344G3756G4460G4204G1344G1537G2041G5264G32G2532G1544G2087G359826Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works.G1063G5618G4983G5565G4151G2076G3498G3779G4102G5565G2041G2076G3498G2532
James 3
Controlling the Tongue
3Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly.G3450G80G1096G3361G4183G1320G1492G3754G2983G3187G29172Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way.G1063G4183G4417G537G1536G4417G3756G1722G3056G3778G5046G435G1415G2532G5468G3650G49833We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth.G2400G906G5469G1519G2462G4750G4314G846G3982G2254G2532G3329G846G3650G49834And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong.G2400G2532G4143G5607G5082G2532G1643G5259G4642G417G3329G5259G1646G4079G3699G302G2116G3730G10145In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire.G2532G3779G1100G2076G3398G3196G2532G3166G2400G2245G5208G3641G4442G3816And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.G2532G1100G4442G2889G93G3779G2525G1100G1722G2257G3196G4695G3650G4983G2532G5394G5164G1078G2532G5394G5259G10677People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish,G1063G3956G5449G2342G5037G2532G4071G5037G2062G2532G1724G1150G2532G1150G5449G4428but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison.G1161G1100G1410G3762G444G1150G183G2556G3324G2287G24479Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God.G1722G846G2127G2316G2532G3962G2532G1722G846G2672G444G3588G1096G2596G3669G231610And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!G1537G846G4750G1831G2129G2532G2671G3450G80G5023G5534G3756G3779G109611Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water?G3385G4077G1032G1537G846G3692G1099G2532G408912Does a fig tree produce olives, or a grapevine produce figs? No, and you can't draw fresh water from a salty spring.G3361G1410G4808G3450G80G4160G1636G2228G288G4810G3779G3762G4077G4160G252G5204G2532G1099
True Wisdom Comes from God
13If you are wise and understand God's ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom.G5101G4680G2532G1990G1722G5213G1166G1537G2570G391G846G2041G1722G4240G467814But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don't cover up the truth with boasting and lying.G1161G1487G2192G4089G2205G2532G2052G1722G5216G2588G2620G3361G2532G5574G2596G22515For jealousy and selfishness are not God's kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic.G3778G4678G2076G2718G3756G509G235G1919G5591G114116For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.G1063G3699G2205G2532G2052G1563G181G2532G3956G5337G422917But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere.G1161G4678G509G2076G4412G3303G53G1899G1516G1933G2138G3324G1656G2532G18G2590G87G2532G50518And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.G1161G2590G1343G4687G1722G1515G4160G1515
Psalms 31
31[For the choir director: A psalm of David.] O LORD, I have come to you for protection; don't let me be disgraced. Save me, for you do what is right.H5329H4210H1732H3068H2620H408H5769H954H6403H66662Turn your ear to listen to me; rescue me quickly. Be my rock of protection, a fortress where I will be safe.H5186H241H5337H4120H4581H6697H1004H4686H34673You are my rock and my fortress. For the honor of your name, lead me out of this danger.H5553H4686H8034H5148H50954Pull me from the trap my enemies set for me, for I find protection in you alone.H3318H7568H2098H2934H45815I entrust my spirit into your hand. Rescue me, LORD, for you are a faithful God.H3027H6485H7307H6299H3068H410H5716I hate those who worship worthless idols. I trust in the LORD.H8130H8104H7723H1892H982H30687I will be glad and rejoice in your unfailing love, for you have seen my troubles, and you care about the anguish of my soul.H1523H8055H2617H7200H6040H3045H5315H68698You have not handed me over to my enemies but have set me in a safe place.H5462H3027H341H5975H7272H48009Have mercy on me, LORD, for I am in distress. Tears blur my eyes. My body and soul are withering away.H2603H3068H6887H5869H6244H3708H5315H99010I am dying from grief; my years are shortened by sadness. Sin has drained my strength; I am wasting away from within.H2416H3615H3015H8141H585H3581H3782H5771H6106H624411I am scorned by all my enemies and despised by my neighbors—even my friends are afraid to come near me. When they see me on the street, they run the other way.H2781H6887H3966H7934H6343H3045H7200H2351H507412I am ignored as if I were dead, as if I were a broken pot.H7911H4191H3820H6H362713I have heard the many rumors about me, and I am surrounded by terror. My enemies conspire against me, plotting to take my life.H8085H1681H7227H4032H5439H3245H3162H2161H3947H531514But I am trusting you, O LORD, saying, "You are my God!"H982H3068H559H43015My future is in your hands. Rescue me from those who hunt me down relentlessly.H6256H3027H5337H3027H341H729116Let your favor shine on your servant. In your unfailing love, rescue me.H6440H215H5650H3467H261717Don't let me be disgraced, O LORD, for I call out to you for help. Let the wicked be disgraced; let them lie silent in the grave.H954H3068H7121H7563H954H1826H758518Silence their lying lips—those proud and arrogant lips that accuse the godly.H8267H8193H481H1696H6277H1346H937H666219How great is the goodness you have stored up for those who fear you. You lavish it on those who come to you for protection, blessing them before the watching world.H7227H2898H6845H3373H6466H2620H1121H12020You hide them in the shelter of your presence, safe from those who conspire against them. You shelter them in your presence, far from accusing tongues.H5641H5643H6440H7407H376H6845H5521H7379H395621Praise the LORD, for he has shown me the wonders of his unfailing love. He kept me safe when my city was under attack.H1288H3068H6381H2617H4692H589222In panic I cried out, "I am cut off from the LORD!" But you heard my cry for mercy and answered my call for help.H559H2648H1629H5048H5869H403H8085H6963H8469H776823Love the LORD, all you godly ones! For the LORD protects those who are loyal to him, but he harshly punishes the arrogant.H157H3068H2623H3068H5341H539H3499H7999H1346H621324So be strong and courageous, all you who put your hope in the LORD!H2388H553H3824H3176H3068
Dublin, OH
, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.G3450
