Jam 1 | ESV | STEP | James , a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ , To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion : Greetings .

‏ James 1

Greeting

1 ^aJames, a servant ^{▼▼Or slave (for the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface)} of God and ^cof the Lord Jesus Christ,

To ^dthe twelve tribes in ^ethe Dispersion:

Greetings.

Testing of Your Faith

2 ^fCount it all joy, my brothers, ^{▼▼Or brothers and sisters. The plural Greek word adelphoi (translated “brothers”) refers to siblings in a family. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, adelphoi may refer either to men or to both men and women who are siblings (brothers and sisters) in God’s family, the church; also verses 16, 19} when you meet trials ^hof various kinds, 3 for you know that ⁱthe testing of your faith ^jproduces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be ^kperfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

5 ^lIf any of you lacks wisdom, ^mlet him ask God, ⁿwho gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6 But ^olet him ask in faith, ^pwith no doubting, for the one who doubts is like ^qa wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 ^rhe is a double-minded man, ^sunstable in all his ways.

9 Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, 10 and ^tthe rich in his humiliation, because ^ulike a flower of the grass ^{▼▼Or a wild flower} he will pass away. 11 For the sun rises with its scorching heat and ^wwithers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.

12 ^xBlessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive ^ythe crown of life, ^zwhich God has promised to those who love him. 13 Let 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. 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire ^aawhen it has conceived gives birth to sin, and ^absin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. 17 ^acEvery good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from ^adthe Father of lights, ^aewith whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. ^{▼▼Some manuscripts variation due to a shadow of turning} 18 ^agOf his own will he ^ahbrought us forth by the word of truth, ^aithat we should be a kind of ^ajfirstfruits of his creatures.

Hearing and Doing the Word

19 ^akKnow this, my beloved brothers: let every person ^albe quick to hear, ^amslow to speak, ^anslow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore ^aoput away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with ^apmeekness the implanted word, ^aqwhich is able to save your souls.

22 But be ^ardoers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For 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. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, ^asthe law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, ^athe will be blessed in his doing.

26 If anyone thinks he is religious ^auand does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s ^avreligion is worthless. 27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: ^awto visit ^axorphans and widows in their affliction, and ^ayto keep oneself ^azunstained from the world.