New International Version NIV
GOD'S WORD Translation GW
1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings.
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From James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. To God's faithful people who have been scattered. Greetings.
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,
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My brothers and sisters, be very happy when you are tested in different ways.
3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.
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You know that such testing of your faith produces endurance.
4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
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Endure until your testing is over. Then you will be mature and complete, and you won't need anything.
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.
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If any of you needs wisdom to know what you should do, you should ask God, and he will give it to you. God is generous to everyone and doesn't find fault with them.
6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
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When you ask for something, don't have any doubts. A person who has doubts is like a wave that is blown by the wind and tossed by the sea.
7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.
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A person who has doubts shouldn't expect to receive anything from the Lord.
8 Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.
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A person who has doubts is thinking about two different things at the same time and can't make up his mind about anything.
9 Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position.
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Humble believers should be proud because being humble makes them important.
10 But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower.
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Rich believers should be proud because being rich should make them humble. Rich people will wither like flowers.
11 For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich will fade away even while they go about their business.
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The sun rises with its scorching heat and dries up plants. The flowers drop off, and the beauty is gone. The same thing will happen to rich people. While they are busy, they will die.
12 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.
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Blessed are those who endure when they are tested. When they pass the test, they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone;
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When someone is tempted, he shouldn't say that God is tempting him. God can't be tempted by evil, and God doesn't tempt anyone.
14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.
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Everyone is tempted by his own desires as they lure him away and trap him.
15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
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Then desire becomes pregnant and gives birth to sin. When sin grows up, it gives birth to death.
16 Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters.
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My dear brothers and sisters, don't be fooled.
17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
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Every good present and every perfect gift comes from above, from the Father who made the sun, moon, and stars. The Father doesn't change like the shifting shadows produced by the sun and the moon.
18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.
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God decided to give us life through the word of truth to make us his most important creatures.
19 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,
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Remember this, my dear brothers and sisters: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and should not get angry easily.
20 because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.
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An angry person doesn't do what God approves of.
21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
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So get rid of all immoral behavior and all the wicked things you do. Humbly accept the word that God has placed in you. This word can save you.
22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
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Do what God's word says. Don't merely listen to it, or you will fool yourselves.
23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror
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If someone listens to God's word but doesn't do what it says, he is like a person who looks at his face in a mirror,
24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.
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studies his features, goes away, and immediately forgets what he looks like.
25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.
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However, the person who continues to study God's perfect teachings that make people free and who remains committed to them will be blessed. People like that don't merely listen and forget; they actually do what God's teachings say.
26 Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.
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If a person thinks that he is religious but can't control his tongue, he is fooling himself. That person's religion is worthless.
27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
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Pure, unstained religion, according to God our Father, is to take care of orphans and widows when they suffer and to remain uncorrupted by this world.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.
GOD'S WORD® is a copyrighted work of God's Word to the Nations. Copyright © 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. All rights reserved. Used by permission.