The General Epistle of James

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- Chapter 1 -

(Jude 1:1–2)

Iames a seruant of God, and of the Lord Iesus Christ, to the twelue Tribes, which are scattered abroade, salutation.

Rejoicing in Trials

(Philippians 1:12–20)

My brethren, count it exceeding ioy, when ye fall into diuers tentations,

Knowing that ye trying of your faith bringeth forth patience,

And let patience haue her perfect worke, that ye may be perfect and entier, lacking nothing.

If any of you lacke wisedome, let him aske of God, which giueth to all men liberally, and reprocheth no man, and it shalbe giuen him.

But let him aske in faith, and wauer not: for hee that wauereth, is like a waue of the sea, tost of the winde, and caried away.

Neither let that man thinke that hee shall receiue any thing of the Lord.

A double minded man is vnstable in all his waies.

Let the brother of lowe degree reioyce in that he is exalted:

Againe hee that is rich, in that hee is made lowe: for as the flower of the grasse, shall he vanish away.

For as when the sunne riseth with heate, then the grasse withereth, and his flower falleth away, and the goodly shape of it perisheth: euen so shall the rich man wither away in all his waies.

Blessed is ye man, that endureth tentation: for when he is tried, hee shall receiue the crowne of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that loue him.

Good and Perfect Gifts

Let no man say when hee is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God can not bee tempted with euill, neither tempteth he any man.

But euery man is tempted, when hee is drawen away by his owne concupiscence, and is entised.

Then when lust hath conceiued, it bringeth foorth sinne, and sinne when it is finished, bringeth foorth death.

Erre not, my deare brethren.

Euery good giuing, and euery perfect gift is from aboue, and commeth downe from the Father of lights, with whome is no variablenes, neither shadow of turning.

Of his owne will begate hee vs with the woorde of trueth, that we shoulde be as the first fruites of his creatures.

Hearing and Doing

Wherefore my deare brethren, let euery man be swift to heare, slowe to speake, and slowe to wrath.

For the wrath of man doeth not accomplish the righteousnesse of God.

Wherefore lay apart all filthinesse, and superfluitie of maliciousnesse, and receiue with meekenes the word that is graffed in you, which is able to saue your soules.

And be ye doers of the word, and not hearers onely, deceiuing your owne selues.

For if any heare the woorde, and doe it not, he is like vnto a man, that beholdeth his naturall face in a glasse.

For when he hath considered himselfe, hee goeth his way, and forgetteth immediately what maner of one he was.

But who so looketh in the perfect Lawe of libertie, and continueth therein, hee not being a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the woorke, shalbe blessed in his deede.

If any man amog you seeme religious, and refraineth not his tongue, but deceiueth his owne heart, this mans religion is vaine.

Pure religion and vndefiled before God, euen the Father, is this, to visite the fatherlesse, and widdowes in their aduersitie, and to keepe himselfe vnspotted of the world.

(Jude 1:1–2)

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,(a) to the twelve tribes which are in the Dispersion: Greetings.

Rejoicing in Trials

(Philippians 1:12–20)

Count it all joy, my brothers,(b) when you fall into various temptations,

knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

Let endurance have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

But let him ask in faith, without any doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven by the wind and tossed.

For that man shouldn’t think that he will receive anything from the Lord.

He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

Let the brother in humble circumstances glory in his high position;

and the rich, in that he is made humble, because like the flower in the grass, he will pass away.

For the sun arises with the scorching wind and withers the grass; and the flower in it falls, and the beauty of its appearance perishes. So the rich man will also fade away in his pursuits.

Blessed is a person who endures temptation, for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord promised to those who love him.

Good and Perfect Gifts

Let no man say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God,” for God can’t be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one.

But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own lust and enticed.

Then the lust, when it has conceived, bears sin. The sin, when it is full grown, produces death.

Don’t be deceived, my beloved brothers.

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation nor turning shadow.

Of his own will he gave birth to us by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.

Hearing and Doing

So, then, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger;

for the anger of man doesn’t produce the righteousness of God.

Therefore, putting away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness, receive with humility the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.(c)

But be doers of the word, and not only hearers, deluding your own selves.

For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man looking at his natural face in a mirror;

for he sees himself, and goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.

But he who looks into the perfect law of freedom and continues, not being a hearer who forgets but a doer of the work, this man will be blessed in what he does.

If anyone among you thinks himself to be religious while he doesn’t bridle his tongue, but deceives his heart, this man’s religion is worthless.

Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

Footnotes

(a)1:1 “Christ” means “Anointed One”.

(b)1:2 The word for “brothers” here and where context allows may also be correctly translated “brothers and sisters” or “siblings.”