James 1 (New American Standard)

Testing Your Faith

1 ^a1James, a ²bond-servant of God and ³of the Lord Jesus Christ, To ⁴the twelve tribes who are ^b5dispersed abroad: ⁶Greetings. 2 ⁷Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter ⁸various ^ctrials, 3 knowing that ⁹the testing of your ¹⁰faith produces ^d11endurance. 4 And let ^e12endurance have its perfect ^fresult, so that you may be ^g13perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. 5 But if any of you ¹⁴lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and ^hwithout reproach, and ¹⁵it will be given to him. 6 But he must ¹⁶ask in faith ¹⁷without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, ¹⁸driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, 8 being a ⁱ¹⁹double-minded man, ²⁰unstable in all his ways. 9 ²¹But the ^jbrother of humble circumstances is to glory in his high position ; 10 and the rich man is to glory in his humiliation, because ²²like ^kflowering grass he will pass away. 11 For the sun rises with ^l23a scorching wind and ²⁴withers the grass ; and its flower falls off and the beauty of its appearance is destroyed ; so too the rich man in the midst of his pursuits will fade away. 12 ²⁵Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial ; for once he has ^mbeen approved, he will receive ²⁶the crown of life which the Lord ²⁷has promised to those who ²⁸love Him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, "²⁹I am being tempted ⁿby God "; for God cannot be tempted ^oby evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. 15 Then ³⁰when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin ; and when ³¹sin ^pis accomplished, it brings forth death. 16 ³²Do not be ^qdeceived, ³³my beloved brethren. 17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is ³⁴from above, coming down from ³⁵the Father of lights, ³⁶with whom there is no variation or ^rshifting shadow. 18 In the exercise of ³⁷His will He ³⁸brought us forth by ³⁹the word of truth, so that we would be ^sa kind of ⁴⁰first fruits ^tamong His creatures. 19 ^uThis ⁴¹you know, ⁴²my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, ⁴³slow to speak and ⁴⁴slow to anger ; 20 for ⁴⁵the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore, ⁴⁶putting aside all filthiness and all ^vthat remains of wickedness, in ^whumility receive ⁴⁷the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. 22 ⁴⁸But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his ^xnatural face ⁴⁹in a mirror ; 24 for once he has looked at himself and gone away, ^yhe has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. 25 But one who looks intently at the perfect law, ⁵⁰the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but ^zan effectual doer, this man will be ⁵¹blessed in ^aawhat he does. 26 If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not ^bb52bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is worthless. 27 Pure and undefiled religion ⁵³in the sight of our God and Father is this : to ⁵⁴visit ⁵⁵orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained ^ccby ⁵⁶the world.