James 1
Greeting
aJames, a servant of God and bof the Lord Jesus Christ,
To cthe twelve tribes in dthe Dispersion:
Greetings.
Testing of Your Faith
2 aCount it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials bof various kinds, 3 for you know that athe testing of your faith bproduces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be aperfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
5 aIf any of you lacks wisdom, blet him ask God, cwho gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6 But alet him ask in faith, bwith no doubting, for the one who doubts is like ca 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 ahe is a double-minded man, bunstable in all his ways.
9 Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, 10 and athe rich in his humiliation, because blike a flower of the grass he will pass away. 11 For the sun rises with its scorching heat and awithers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.
12 aBlessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive bthe crown of life, cwhich 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 awhen it has conceived gives birth to sin, and bsin when it is fully grown brings forth death.
16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. 17 aEvery good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from bthe Father of lights, cwith whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. 18 aOf his own will he bbrought us forth by the word of truth, cthat we should be a kind of dfirstfruits of his creatures.
Hearing and Doing the Word
19 aKnow this, my beloved brothers: let every person bbe quick to hear, cslow to speak, dslow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore aput away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with bmeekness the implanted word, cwhich is able to save your souls.
22 But be adoers 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, athe law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, bhe will be blessed in his doing.
26 If anyone thinks he is religious aand does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s breligion is worthless. 27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: ato visit borphans and widows in their affliction, and cto keep oneself dunstained from the world.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway,
a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.