James, Chapter One

December 3
James, Chapter 1

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. 2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith works patience. 4 But let patience have her perfect work, that you may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. 5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that gives to all men liberally, and will not find fault; and it shall be given him.

6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavers is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. 7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. 8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted: 10 But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away. 11 For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withers the grass, and the flower thereof falls, and the grace of the fashion of it perishes: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.
12 Blessed is the man that endures temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love Him. 13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempts He any man; 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust hath conceived, it brings forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, brings forth death.

16 Do not err, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. 18 Of His own will begat He us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first-fruits of his creatures.

19 Wherefore, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger: 20 for the wrath of man works not the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore set apart from yourself all filthiness and indulgence of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

22 Remember to be doers of the word, and not hearers only, for if you hear only without acting on the word of truth, you will be deceiving yourselves. 23 For if any is a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like a man beholding his natural face in a glass: 24 For he sees himself, then goes his way, forgetting what manner of man he is.

25 But whoever looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues in it, will not be a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
26 If any man among you seems to be religious, but does not control his tongue, he deceives his own heart, and his religion is vain, for 27 pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.