THE GENERAL EPISTLE OF

JAMES
CHAPTER 1 midst of his pursuits.
1 James, a servant of God 12 Blessed is the man who
and of the Lord Jesus Christ, endures trial, for when he has
To the twelve tribes in the Dis- stood the test he will receive
persion: Greeting. the crown of life which God
2 Count it all joy, my has promised to those who
brethren, when you meet vari- love him.
ous trials, 13 Let no one say when he is
3 for you know that the test- tempted, "I am tempted by
ing of your faith produces God"; for God cannot be
steadfastness. tempted with evil and he him-
4 And let steadfastness have self tempts no one;
its full effect, that you may be 14 but each person is tempt-
perfect and complete, lacking ed when he is lured and en-
in nothing. ticed by his own desire.
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, 15 Then desire when it has
let him ask God, who gives to conceived gives birth to sin;
all men generously and with- and sin when it is full-grown
out reproaching, and it will be brings forth death.
given him. 16 Do not be deceived, my
6 But let him ask in faith, beloved brethren.
with no doubting, for he who 17 Every good endowment
doubts is like a wave of the and every perfect gift is from
sea that is driven and tossed above, coming down from the
by the wind. Father of lights with whom
7 For that person must not there is no variation or shad-
suppose that a double-minded ow due to change.
man, 18 Of his own will he brought
8 unstable in all his ways, will us forth by the word of truth
receive anything from the that we should be a kind of
Lord. first fruits of his creatures.
9 Let the lowly brother boast 19 Know this, my beloved
in his exaltation, brethren. Let every man be
10 and the rich in his humili- quick to hear, slow to speak,
ation, because like the flower slow to anger,
of the grass he will pass away. 20 for the anger of man does
11 For the sun rises with its not work the righteousness of
scorching heat and withers God.
the grass; its flower falls, and 21 Therefore put away all
its beauty perishes. So will filthiness and rank growth of
the rich man fade away in the wickedness and receive with

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meekness the implanted word, 4 have you not made distinc-

which is able to save your tions among yourselves, and
souls. become judges with evil
22 But be doers of the word, thoughts?
and not hearers only, deceiv- 5 Listen, my beloved
ing yourselves. brethren. Has not God chosen
23 For if any one is a hearer those who are poor in the
of the word and not a doer, he world to be rich in faith and
is like a man who observes his heirs of the kingdom which he
natural face in a mirror; has promised to those who
24 for he observes himself love him?
and goes away and at once 6 But you have dishonored
forgets what he was like. the poor man. Is it not the rich
25 But he who looks into the who oppress you, is it not they
perfect law, the law of liberty, who drag you into court?
and perseveres, being no 7 Is it not they who blas-
hearer that forgets but a doer pheme that honorable name
that acts, he shall be blessed which was invoked over you?
in his doing. 8 If you really fulfil the royal
26 If any one thinks he is re- law, according to the scrip-
ligious, and does not bridle his ture, "You shall love your
tongue but deceives his heart, neighbor as yourself," you do
this man's religion is vain. well.
27 Religion that is pure and 9 But if you show partiality,
undefiled before God and the you commit sin, and are con-
Father is this: to visit orphans victed by the law as trans-
and widows in their affliction, gressors.
and to keep oneself unstained 10 For whoever keeps the
from the world. whole law but fails in one
point has become guilty of all
CHAPTER 2 of it.
1 My brethren, show no par- 11 For he who said, "Do not
tiality as you hold the faith of commit adultery," said also,
our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord "Do not kill." If you do not
of glory. commit adultery but do kill,
2 For if a man with gold rings you have become a transgres-
and in fine clothing comes sor of the law.
into your assembly, and a 12 So speak and so act as
poor man in shabby clothing those who are to be judged
also comes in, under the law of liberty.
3 and you pay attention to 13 For judgment is without
the one who wears the fine mercy to one who has shown
clothing and say, "Have a seat no mercy; yet mercy triumphs
here, please," while you say over judgment.
to the poor man, "Stand 14 What does it profit, my
there," or, "Sit at my feet," brethren, if a man says he has

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faith but has not works? Can 26 For as the body apart from
his faith save him? the spirit is dead, so faith
15 If a brother or sister is ill- apart from works is dead.
clad and in lack of daily food,
16 and one of you says to CHAPTER 3
them, "Go in peace, be 1 Let not many of you be-
warmed and filled," without come teachers, my brethren,
giving them the things needed for you know that we who
for the body, what does it teach shall be judged with
profit? greater strictness.
17 So faith by itself, if it has 2 For we all make many mis-
no works, is dead. takes, and if any one makes
18 But some one will say, no mistakes in what he says
"You have faith and I have he is a perfect man, able to
works." Show me your faith bridle the whole body also.
apart from your works, and I 3 If we put bits into the
by my works will show you my mouths of horses that they
faith. may obey us, we guide their
19 You believe that God is whole bodies.
one; you do well. Even the 4 Look at the ships also;
demons believe — and shud- though they are so great and
der. are driven by strong winds,
20 Do you want to be shown, they are guided by a very
you shallow man, that faith small rudder wherever the will
apart from works is barren? of the pilot directs.
21 Was not Abraham our fa- 5 So the tongue is a little
ther justified by works, when member and boasts of great
he offered his son Isaac upon things. How great a forest is
the altar? set ablaze by a small fire!
22 You see that faith was ac- 6 And the tongue is a fire.
tive along with his works, and The tongue is an unrighteous
faith was completed by works, world among our members,
23 and the scripture was ful- staining the whole body, set-
filled which says, "Abraham ting on fire the cycle of na-
believed God, and it was reck- ture, and set on fire by hell.
oned to him as 7 For every kind of beast and
righteousness"; and he was bird, of reptile and sea crea-
called the friend of God. ture, can be tamed and has
24 You see that a man is jus- been tamed by humankind,
tified by works and not by 8 but no human being can
faith alone. tame the tongue — a restless
25 And in the same way was evil, full of deadly poison.
not also Rahab the harlot jus- 9 With it we bless the Lord
tified by works when she re- and Father, and with it we
ceived the messengers and curse men, who are made in
sent them out another way? the likeness of God.

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 JAMES

10 From the same mouth cannot obtain; so you fight

come blessing and cursing. My and wage war. You do not
brethren, this ought not to be have, because you do not ask.
so. 3 You ask and do not receive,
11 Does a spring pour forth because you ask wrongly, to
from the same opening fresh spend it on your passions.
water and brackish? 4 Unfaithful creatures! Do
12 Can a fig tree, my you not know that friendship
brethren, yield olives, or a with the world is enmity with
grapevine figs? No more can God? Therefore whoever wish-
salt water yield fresh. es to be a friend of the world
13 Who is wise and under- makes himself an enemy of
standing among you? By his God.
good life let him show his 5 Or do you suppose it is in
works in the meekness of wis- vain that the scripture says,
dom. "He yearns jealously over the
14 But if you have bitter jeal- spirit which he has made to
ousy and selfish ambition in dwell in us"?
your hearts, do not boast and 6 But he gives more grace;
be false to the truth. therefore it says, "God oppos-
15 This wisdom is not such as es the proud, but gives grace
comes down from above, but to the humble."
is earthly, unspiritual, devil- 7 Submit yourselves there-
ish. fore to God. Resist the devil
16 For where jealousy and and he will flee from you.
selfish ambition exist, there 8 Draw near to God and he
will be disorder and every vile will draw near to you. Cleanse
practice. your hands, you sinners, and
17 But the wisdom from purify your hearts, you men of
above is first pure, then double mind.
peaceable, gentle, open to 9 Be wretched and mourn and
reason, full of mercy and good weep. Let your laughter be
fruits, without uncertainty or turned to mourning and your
insincerity. joy to dejection.
18 And the harvest of right- 10 Humble yourselves before
eousness is sown in peace by the Lord and he will exalt you.
those who make peace. 11 Do not speak evil against
one another, brethren. He that
CHAPTER 4 speaks evil against a brother
1 What causes wars, and or judges his brother, speaks
what causes fightings among evil against the law and
you? Is it not your passions judges the law. But if you
that are at war in your mem- judge the law, you are not a
bers? doer of the law but a judge.
2 You desire and do not have; 12 There is one lawgiver and
so you kill. And you covet and judge, he who is able to save

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 JAMES

and to destroy. But who are 6 You have condemned, you

you that you judge your have killed the righteous man;
neighbor? he does not resist you.
13 Come now, you who say, 7 Be patient, therefore,
"Today or tomorrow we will go brethren, until the coming of
into such and such a town and the Lord. Behold, the farmer
spend a year there and trade waits for the precious fruit of
and get gain"; the earth, being patient over
14 whereas you do not know it until it receives the early
about tomorrow. What is your and the late rain.
life? For you are a mist that 8 You also be patient. Estab-
appears for a little time and lish your hearts, for the com-
then vanishes. ing of the Lord is at hand.
15 Instead you ought to say, 9 Do not grumble, brethren,
"If the Lord wills, we shall live against one another, that you
and we shall do this or that." may not be judged; behold,
16 As it is, you boast in your the Judge is standing at the
arrogance. All such boasting is doors.
evil. 10 As an example of suffering
17 Whoever knows what is and patience, brethren, take
right to do and fails to do it, the prophets who spoke in the
for him it is sin. name of the Lord.
11 Behold, we call those hap-
CHAPTER 5 py who were steadfast. You
1 Come now, you rich, weep have heard of the steadfast-
and howl for the miseries that ness of Job, and you have
are coming upon you. seen the purpose of the Lord,
2 Your riches have rotted and how the Lord is compassionate
your garments are moth-eat- and merciful.
en. 12 But above all, my
3 Your gold and silver have brethren, do not swear, either
rusted, and their rust will be by heaven or by earth or with
evidence against you and will any other oath, but let your
eat your flesh like fire. You yes be yes and your no be no,
have laid up treasure for the that you may not fall under
last days. condemnation.
4 Behold, the wages of the la- 13 Is any one among you suf-
borers who mowed your fields, fering? Let him pray. Is any
which you kept back by fraud, cheerful? Let him sing praise.
cry out; and the cries of the 14 Is any among you sick?
harvesters have reached the Let him call for the elders of
ears of the Lord of hosts. the church, and let them pray
5 You have lived on the earth over him, anointing him with
in luxury and in pleasure; you oil in the name of the Lord;
have fattened your hearts in a 15 and the prayer of faith will
day of slaughter. save the sick man, and the

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Lord will raise him up; and if

he has committed sins, he will
be forgiven.
16 Therefore confess your
sins to one another, and pray
for one another, that you may
be healed. The prayer of a
righteous man has great pow-
er in its effects.
17 Eli'jah was a man of like
nature with ourselves and he
prayed fervently that it might
not rain, and for three years
and six months it did not rain
on the earth.
18 Then he prayed again and
the heaven gave rain, and the
earth brought forth its fruit.
19 My brethren, if any one
among you wanders from the
truth and some one brings him
back,
20 let him know that whoever
brings back a sinner from the
error of his way will save his
soul from death and will cover
a multitude of sins.