Jam 1 | ISV | STEP | The Letter of James Greetings from James From James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes in the Dispersion. Greetings.

James 1

For our God is an all-consuming fire.Exod 24:17; Deut 4:24; 9:3; Ps 50:3; 97:3; Isa 66:15; 2Thes 1:8; Heb 10:27

1 The Letter of JamesGreetings from James

From ^{▼▼The Gk. lacks From} James, a servant ^{▼▼Or slave} of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes in the Dispersion. Greetings.Deut 32:26; John 7:35; Acts 2:5; 8:1; 12:17; 15:13; 26:7; Gal 1:19; 2:9; Titus 1:1; 1Pet 1:1; Jude 1:1

2 Turn to God when TestedConsider it pure joy, my brothers, when you are involved in various trials,Matt 5:12; Acts 5:41; Heb 10:34; 1Pet 1:6 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance.Rom 5:3 4 But you must let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.

5 Now 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.1Kings 3:9, 11-12; Prov 2:3; Jer 29:12; Matt 7:7; 21:22; Mark 11:24; Luke 11:9; John 14:13; 15:7; 16:23; 1John 5:14-15 6 But 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.Mark 11:24; 1Tim 2:8 7 Such a person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 He is a double-minded man, unstable in all he undertakes. ^{▼▼Lit. in all his ways}James 4:8

9 A brother of low status should boast in his exalted status, 10 and a rich person in his lowliness, because he will fade away like a flower in the grass.Job 14:2; Ps 37:2; 90:5-6; 102:11; 103:15; Isa 40:6; 1Cor 7:31; James 4:14; 1Pet 1:24; 1John 2:17 11 For 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. 12 Our Desires Tempt UsHow blessed is the man who endures temptation! When he has passed the test, he will receive the victor's crown of life that God ^{▼▼Lit. he; other mss. read God; still other mss. read the Lord} has promised to those who keep on loving him.Job 5:17; Prov 3:11-12; Matt 10:22; 19:28-29; 1Cor 9:25; 2Tim 4:8; Heb 12:5; James 2:5; 1Pet 5:4; Rev 2:10; 3:19 13 When 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. 14 Instead, each person is tempted by his own desire, being lured and trapped by it. 15 When that desire becomes pregnant, it gives birth to sin; when that sin grows up, it gives birth to death.Job 15:35; Ps 7:14; Rom 6:21, 23

16 Live As God's ChildrenDo not be ^{▼▼Or Don't be} deceived, my dear brothers. 17 Every generous act of giving and every perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father who made the heavenly lights, ^{▼▼Lit. the Father of lights} in whom there is no inconsistency or shifting shadow.Num 23:19; 1Sam 15:29; Mal 3:6; John 3:27; Rom 11:29; 1Cor 4:7 18 In 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. ^{▼▼Lit. a kind of first fruits among his creatures}Jer 2:3; John 1:13; 3:3; 1Cor 4:15; Eph 1:12; 1Pet 1:23; Rev 14:4

19 You must understand this, my dear brothers. Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.Prov 10:19; 14:17; 16:32; 17:27; Eccl 5:1-2; 7:9 20 For human anger does not produce God's righteousness. 21 Therefore, 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.Acts 13:26; Rom 1:16; 1Cor 15:2; Eph 1:13; Col 3:8; Titus 2:11; Heb 2:3; 1Pet 1:9; 2:1

22 Keep on being doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves.Matt 7:21; Luke 6:46; 11:28; Rom 2:13; 1John 3:7 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at himself in a mirror.Luke 6:47; James 2:14 24 For he studies himself carefully and then goes off and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But the one who looks at the perfect law of freedom and remains committed to it—thus proving that he is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of what it requires—will be blessed in what he does.John 13:17; 2Cor 3:18; James 2:12

26 If anyone thinks that he is religious and does not bridle his tongue, but instead deceives his own heart, his religion is worthless.Ps 34:13; 39:1; 1Pet 3:10 27 A religion that is pure and stainless in the sight of God the Father is this: to take care of orphans and widows in their suffering, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.Isa 1:16-17; 58:6-7; Matt 25:36; Rom 12:2; James 4:4; 1John 5:18