[James 1]
1:1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to
the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.
1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers
temptations;
1:3 Knowing [this], that the trying of your faith worketh
patience.
1:4 But let patience have [her] perfect work, that ye may be
perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that
giveth to all [men] liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall
be given him.
1:6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that
wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and
tossed.
1:7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any
thing of the Lord.
1:8 A double minded man [is] unstable in all his ways.
1:9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is
exalted:
1:10 But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the
flower of the grass he shall pass away.
1:11 For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but
it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the
grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich
man fade away in his ways.
1:12 Blessed [is] the man that endureth temptation: for when
he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord
hath promised to them that love him.
1:13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God:
for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any
man:
1:14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his
own lust, and enticed.
1:15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin:
and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
1:16 Do not err, my beloved brethren.
1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above,
and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no
variableness, neither shadow of turning.
1:18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that
we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
1:19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift
to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
1:20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of
God.
1:21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of
naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word,
which is able to save your souls.
1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only,
deceiving your own selves.
1:23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he
is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
1:24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and
straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and
continueth [therein], he being not a forgetful hearer, but a
doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
1:26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth
not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's
religion [is] vain.
1:27 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.
[James 2]
2:1 My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ,
[the Lord] of glory, with respect of persons.
2:2 For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold
ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in
vile raiment;
2:3 And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing,
and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the
poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:
2:4 Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become
judges of evil thoughts?
2:5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the
poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom
which he hath promised to them that love him?
2:6 But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress
you, and draw you before the judgment seats?
2:7 Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye
are called?
2:8 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture,
Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:
2:9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are
convinced of the law as transgressors.
2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend
in one [point], he is guilty of all.
2:11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do
not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill,
thou art become a transgressor of the law.
2:12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by
the law of liberty.
2:13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath
showed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.
2:14 What [doth it] profit, my brethren, though a man say he
hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
2:15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily
food,
2:16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be [ye]
warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those
things which are needful to the body; what [doth it] profit?
2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being
alone.
2:18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works:
show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my
faith by my works.
2:19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well:
the devils also believe, and tremble.
2:20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works
is dead?
2:21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he
had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
2:22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by
works was faith made perfect?
2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham
believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness:
and he was called the Friend of God.
2:24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and
not by faith only.
2:25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by
works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent
[them] out another way?
2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith
without works is dead also.
[James 3]
3:1 My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall
receive the greater condemnation.
3:2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not
in word, the same [is] a perfect man, [and] able also to bridle
the whole body.
3:3 Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may
obey us; and we turn about their whole body.
3:4 Behold also the ships, which though [they be] so great,
and [are] driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about
with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.
3:5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great
things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
3:6 And the tongue [is] a fire, a world of iniquity: so is
the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body,
and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire
of hell.
3:7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents,
and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of
mankind:
3:8 But the tongue can no man tame; [it is] an unruly evil,
full of deadly poison.
3:9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith
curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.
3:10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing.
My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
3:11 Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet
[water] and bitter?
3:12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries?
either a vine, figs? so [can] no fountain both yield salt water
and fresh.
3:13 Who [is] a wise man and endued with knowledge among you?
let him show out of a good conversation his works with meekness
of wisdom.
3:14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts,
glory not, and lie not against the truth.
3:15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but [is] earthly,
sensual, devilish.
3:16 For where envying and strife [is], there [is] confusion
and every evil work.
3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then
peaceable, gentle, [and] easy to be entreated, full of mercy
and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
3:18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them
that make peace.
[James 4]
4:1 From whence [come] wars and fightings among you? [come
they] not hence, [even] of your lusts that war in your members?
4:2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and
cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye
ask not.
4:3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye
may consume [it] upon your lusts.
4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the
friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore
will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
4:5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit
that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?
4:6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God
resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and
he will flee from you.
4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse
[your] hands, [ye] sinners; and purify [your] hearts, [ye]
double minded.
4:9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be
turned to mourning, and [your] joy to heaviness.
4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall
lift you up.
4:11 Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that
speaketh evil of [his] brother, and judgeth his brother,
speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou
judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.
4:12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to
destroy: who art thou that judgest another?
4:13 Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go
into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell,
and get gain:
4:14 Whereas ye know not what [shall be] on the morrow. For
what [is] your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a
little time, and then vanisheth away.
4:15 For that ye [ought] to say, If the Lord will, we shall
live, and do this, or that.
4:16 But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing
is evil.
4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth [it]
not, to him it is sin.
[James 5]
5:1 Go to now, [ye] rich men, weep and howl for your miseries
that shall come upon [you].
5:2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are
motheaten.
5:3 Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them
shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it
were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.
5:4 Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down
your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and
the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears
of the Lord of sabaoth.
5:5 Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton;
ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.
5:6 Ye have condemned [and] killed the just; [and] he doth
not resist you.
5:7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the
Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of
the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the
early and latter rain.
5:8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming
of the Lord draweth nigh.
5:9 Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be
condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.
5:10 Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the
name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and
of patience.
5:11 Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard
of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that
the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.
5:12 But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by
heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but
let your yea be yea; and [your] nay, nay; lest ye fall into
condemnation.
5:13 Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry?
let him sing psalms.
5:14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of
the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil
in the name of the Lord:
5:15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the
Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they
shall be forgiven him.
5:16 Therefore confess [your] [[faults]] sins one to another,
and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual
fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
5:17 Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and
he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not
on the earth by the space of three years and six months.
5:18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the
earth brought forth her fruit.
5:19 Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one
convert him;
5:20 Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from
the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall
hide a multitude of sins.