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James

Teaches practical wisdom for living out one's faith through good works.

Chapter 1

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1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.

*James, a helper of God and of Jesus, writes to the 12 groups of people spread far away, hello.

2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

*My friends, consider it happiness when you face various trials;

3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

*Understanding this fact, it means that testing your trust leads to endurance.

4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

*But let patience do its complete job, so you can be completely whole and lack nothing.

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.

*If you need wisdom, ask God, who gives freely without faults, and you will receive it.

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.

*Ask for things with confidence, without doubting. Because the one who doubts is like a wave in the ocean, moved by the wind and tossed around.

7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

*Don't let that person think they will get anything from the Lord.

8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

*A person with conflicting thoughts is easily swayed in everything they do.

9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:

*Let the humble brother be happy because he has been lifted up.

10 But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.

*But the wealthy person will be humbled, since just like grass that blooms, they will fade away.

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.

*As soon as the sun rises and gets hot, it causes the grass to dry up and wilt, and its flowers fall off, losing their beauty. In the same way, the wealthy person's way of life will disappear.

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.

*Blessed is the person who stays strong during testing times. When they pass the test, they will receive a special reward called the "crown of life," which God has promised to those who truly love Him.

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:

*Don't say you are tempted by God when facing temptation because God doesn't tempt with bad things or people.

14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

*But everyone gets tempted when they are pulled by their own desires and lured away.

15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

*Then, when desire creates something, it leads to wrongdoing. And once wrongdoing is done, it results in death.

16 Do not err, my beloved brethren.

*Don't make mistakes, my dear brothers.

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.

*Every great present and perfect present comes from above and comes down from the light's source, who doesn't change or have any hint of changing.

18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

*He created us out of his own choice using the truth, making us the first example of his creations.

19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:

*So, dear brothers, let each person quickly listen, but take time to speak, and be patient with anger.

20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

*People's anger doesn't create God's goodness.

21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

*So, put aside all impurity and extra wickedness, and gently accept the planted word that can save your lives.

22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

*But act on what you hear, and don't just listen; otherwise, you're fooling yourselves.

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:

*If someone listens to the word but doesn't act on it, they are like a person looking at their reflection in a mirror but not making any changes.

24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.

*He looks at himself and then leaves, quickly forgetting who he used to be.

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.

*But whoever looks at the perfect law of freedom and keeps following it, not just listening but actually doing it, this person will be blessed in what they do.

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.

*If someone claims to be religious but doesn't control their words, and misleads themselves, that person's faith is meaningless.

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.

*True religion means treating God and his son with respect. It involves helping orphans and widows when they're struggling, while also living a clean life away from the world's negativity.

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