James 1 – Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

Testing Your Faith

1 [fn]James ^G2385, a slave ^G1401 of God ^G2316 and of the Lord ^G2962 Jesus ^G2424 Christ ^G5547,

To the twelve ^G1427 tribes ^G5443 who ^G3588 are in the Dispersion ^G1290: Greetings ^G5463.

2 Consider ^G2233 it all ^G3956 joy ^G5479, my brothers ^G80, when ^G3752 you encounter ^G4045 various ^G4164 [fn]trials ^G3986,

3 knowing ^G1097 that the testing ^G1383 of your faith ^G4102 brings ^G2716 about ^G2716 perseverance ^G5281. 4 And let perseverance ^G5281 have ^G2192 its perfect ^G5046 work ^G2041, so ^G2443 that you may be [fn]perfect ^G5046 and complete ^G3648, lacking ^G3007 in nothing ^G3367.

5 But if ^G1487 any ^G5100 of you lacks ^G3007 wisdom ^G4678, let him ask ^G154 of God ^G2316, who gives ^G1325 to all ^G3956 generously ^G574 and [fn]without ^G3361 reproach ^G3679, and it will be given ^G1325 to him. 6 But he must ask ^G154 in faith ^G4102, doubting ^G1252 nothing ^G3367, for the one who doubts ^G1252 is ^G1503 like ^G1503 the surf ^G2830 of the sea ^G2281, driven ^G416 and tossed ^G4494 by ^G4494 the ^G4494 wind ^G4494. 7 For that man ^G444 ought not to expect ^G3633 that he will receive ^G2983 anything ^G5100 from the Lord ^G2962, 8 being a [fn]double-minded ^G1374 man ^G435, unstable ^G182 in all ^G3956 his ways ^G3598.

9 But the [fn]brother ^G80 of humble ^G5011 circumstances is to boast ^G2744 in his high ^G5311 position ^G5311; 10 and the rich ^G4145 man ^G4145 is to boast in his humiliation ^G5014, because ^G3754 like ^G5613 [fn]flowering ^G438 grass ^G5528 he will pass ^G3928 away ^G3928. 11 For the sun ^G2246 rises ^G393 with [fn]a scorching ^G2742 heat ^G2742 and withers ^G3583 the grass ^G5528; and its flower ^G438 falls ^G1601 off ^G1601 and the beauty ^G2143 of its appearance ^G4383 is destroyed ^G622; so ^G3779 too ^G2532 the rich ^G4145 man ^G4145 in the midst of his pursuits ^G4197 will fade ^G3133 away ^G3133.

12 Blessed ^G3107 is a man ^G435 who ^G3739 perseveres ^G5278 under trial ^G3986; for once he has [fn]been ^G1096 approved ^G1384, he will receive ^G2983 the crown ^G4735 of life ^G2222 which ^G3739 the Lord has promised ^G1861 to those ^G3588 who love ^G25 Him. 13 Let no ^G3367 one ^G3367 say ^G3004 when he is tempted ^G3985, “I am being tempted ^G3985 [fn]by God ^G2316”; for God ^G2316 cannot ^G551 be ^G551 tempted ^G551 [fn]by evil ^G2556, and He Himself ^G846 does not tempt ^G3985 anyone ^G3762. 14 But each ^G1538 one ^G1538 is tempted ^G3985 when he is carried ^G1828 away ^G1828 and enticed ^G1185 by his own ^G2398 lust ^G1939. 15 Then ^G1534 when lust ^G1939 has conceived ^G4815, it gives ^G5088 birth ^G5088 to sin ^G266, and when sin ^G266 is fully matured ^G658, it brings ^G616 forth ^G616 death ^G2288. 16 Do not be [fn]deceived ^G4105, my beloved ^G27 brothers ^G80. 17 Every ^G3956 good ^G18 thing ^G1394 given ^G1394 and every ^G3956 perfect ^G5046 gift ^G1434 is from above ^G509, coming ^G2597 down ^G2597 from the Father ^G3962 of lights ^G5457, with whom ^G3739 there ^G1762 is ^G1762 no ^G3756 variation ^G3883 or ^G2228 [fn]shifting ^G5157 shadow ^G644. 18 In the exercise of His will ^G1014 He brought ^G616 us forth ^G616 by the word ^G3056 of truth ^G225, so ^G1519 that we would be [fn]a kind ^G5100 of first ^G536 fruits ^G536 [fn]among His creatures ^G2938.

Doers of the Word

19 [fn]Know ^G6063 this, my beloved ^G27 brothers ^G80. But everyone ^G3956 must be quick ^G5036 to hear ^G191, slow ^G1021 to speak ^G2980 and slow ^G1021 to anger ^G3709;

20 for the anger ^G3709 of man ^G435 does not achieve ^G2038 the righteousness ^G1343 of God ^G2316. 21 Therefore ^G1352, laying ^G659 aside ^G659 all ^G3956 filthiness ^G4507 and all [fn]that remains ^G4050 of wickedness ^G2549, in gentleness ^G4240 receive ^G1209 the implanted ^G1721 word ^G3056, which is able ^G1410 to save ^G4982 your souls ^G5590. 22 But become ^G1096 doers ^G4163 of the word ^G3056, and not merely ^G3441 hearers ^G202 who delude ^G3884 themselves ^G1438. 23 For if ^G1487 anyone ^G5100 is a hearer ^G202 of the word ^G3056 and not a doer ^G4163, he is ^G1503 like ^G1503 a man ^G435 who looks ^G2657 at ^G2657 his [fn]natural ^G1078 face ^G4383 in a mirror ^G2072; 24 for once he looked ^G2657 at ^G2657 himself ^G1438 and has gone ^G565 away ^G565, [fn]he immediately ^G2112 forgot ^G1950 what ^G3697 kind ^G3697 of ^G3697 person ^G3697 he was. 25 But one who looks ^G3879 intently ^G3879 at the perfect ^G5046 law ^G3551, the law of freedom ^G1657, and abides ^G3887 by it, not having become ^G1096 a forgetful ^G1953 hearer ^G202 but a doer ^G4163 of the work ^G2041, this ^G3778 man ^G3778 will be blessed ^G3107 in [fn]what ^G4162 he does ^G4162.

26 If ^G1487 anyone ^G5100 thinks ^G1380 himself to be religious ^G2357 while not [fn]bridling ^G5468 his tongue ^G1100 but deceiving ^G538 his own heart ^G2588, this ^G3778 man’s ^G3778 religion ^G2356 is worthless ^G3152. 27 Pure ^G2513 and undefiled ^G283 religion ^G2356 before ^G3844 our God ^G2316 and Father ^G3962 is this ^G3778: to visit ^G1980 orphans ^G3737 and widows ^G5503 in their affliction ^G2347, and to keep ^G5083 oneself ^G1438 unstained ^G784 [fn]by the world ^G2889.