King James Version

1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes in the dispersion, greetings. 2 Consider it all joy, my brothers, whenever you fall into various trials. 3 Knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance; 4 But let perseverance have its perfect work, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all freely and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord. 8 A double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. 9 But let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, 10 But the rich man, in his humiliation, will fade away like a flower of the grass. 11 For the sun arose with the heat and dried up the grass, and its flower fell off, and the beauty of its appearance perished; so also the rich man will fade away in his pursuits. 12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation, for being approved he will receive the crown of life, which he promised to those who love him. 13 Let no one who is tempted say that I am tempted by God; for God is not tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own desires. 15 Then desire, when it has conceived, gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. 16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. 18 He willed and brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we might be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. 19 Know this, my beloved brothers. Let every man be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger. 20 For the anger of man does not work the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore, having put away all filthiness and the abundance of wickedness, receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 Become indeed doers of the word and not merely hearers deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror, 24 For he understood himself and had departed, and immediately he forgot what sort of person he was. 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law of freedom and remains, not becoming a hearer who forgets but a doer of work, this one will be blessed in his doing. 26 If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless. 27 Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.