James:1-2

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* James , [a ] servant of God and of the Lord Jesus , the Christ , to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad , greeting . * My brethren , count it all joy when ye fall into diverse trials , * knowing that the proving of your faith works patience , * and the patience finishes the work , that ye may be perfect and entire , not lacking in anything . * And if any of you lacks wisdom , let them ask of God (who gives abundantly to all , and without reproach ), and it shall be given them . * But ask in faith , not doubting anything . For [he ] that doubts is like the wave of the sea which is driven of the wind and is tossed from one side to another . * For let not such [a ] man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord . * The double minded man [is ] unstable in all his ways . * Let the brother of low degree rejoice in his high status ; * and he who is rich , in his low status , because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away . * For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat , but it withers the grass , and its flower falls , and the beautiful appearance of it perishes : so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways . * Blessed is the man that [patiently ] endures temptation : for when he is tried , he shall receive the crown of life , which the Lord has promised to those that love him . * Let no one say when he is tempted , I am tempted of God ; for God cannot be tempted with evil , neither does he tempt anyone : * But each one is tempted , when they are drawn away of their own lust and enticed . * Then when lust has conceived , it brings forth sin ; and sin , when it is finished , brings forth death . * Do not err , my beloved brethren . * Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father of lights , with whom is no variableness neither shadow of turning . * He , of his own will , has begotten us with the word of truth , that we should be the firstfruits of his creatures . * Therefore , my beloved brethren , let every man be quick to hear , slow to speak , slow to wrath ; * for the wrath of man does not work the righteousness of God . * So then , leave all uncleanness and remains of malice and receive with meekness the word ingested within you , which is able to cause your souls to be saved . * But be ye doers of the word , and not hearers only , deceiving your own selves . * For if anyone hears the word and does not put it into practice , this same is like unto the man beholding his natural face in a mirror : * For he considered himself and went his way and in one hour forgot what he was like . * But whosoever has looked [attentively ] into the perfect law of liberty and has persevered [in it ], not being a forgetful hearer , but a doer of the work , the same shall be blessed in their deed . * If anyone among you thinks to be religious and does not bridle their tongue , but deceives his own heart , his religion [is ] vain . * The pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this , To visit the fatherless and widows in their tribulation [and ] to keep thyself unspotted from this world .: * My brethren , do not have the faith of our Lord Jesus , the glorious Christ , with respect of persons . * For if a man with a gold ring and in precious apparel comes into your synagogue and a poor person in vile raiment also comes in , * and ye have respect to him that wears the precious 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 : * Are ye not then judging in yourselves and are become judges of evil thoughts ? * Hearken , my beloved brethren , Has not God chosen the poor of this world [that they might be ] rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which he has promised to those that love him ? * But ye have despised the poor . Do not the rich oppress you with tyranny and draw you [with violence ] to the courts ? * Do they not blaspheme that worthy name by which ye are called ? * If ye truly fulfil the royal law according to the scripture , Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself , ye do well ; * but if ye have respect to persons , ye commit sin and are accused of the law as rebels . * For whosoever shall have kept the whole law , and then offends in one [point ] is made guilty of all . * For he that said , Thou shalt not commit adultery , said also , Thou shalt not murder . Now if thou commit no adultery , yet if thou [commit ] murder , thou art become a transgressor of the law . * So speak ye and so do as those that shall be judged by the law of liberty . * For judgment without mercy shall be done unto the one that has showed no mercy ; and mercy boasts against judgment . * My brethren , What shall it profit though someone says [that ] they have faith and do not have works ? Shall this type of faith be able to save them ? * If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food , * and one of you says unto them , Depart in peace ; be [ye ] warmed and filled ; but ye do not give them those things which are needful for the body ; what [shall it ] profit them ? * Even so faith , if it does not have works , is dead in and of itself . * But someone 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 . * Thou believest that God is one ; thou doest well ; the demons also believe and tremble . * But , O vain man , dost thou desire to know that faith without works is dead ? * Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered his son Isaac upon the altar ? * Dost thou not see how the faith worked together with his works , and the faith was complete by the works ? * And that 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 . * Ye see then how that by works a man is justified , and not only by faith . * Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works , when she received the messengers and sent [them ] out another way ? * For as the body without the spirit is dead , so faith without works is dead also .: * My brethren , make not unto yourselves many teachers , knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation .

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