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.

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 shewed

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: shew

me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew 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.

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 shew 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 intreated, 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.

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.

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 Confess [your] faults 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 converts the sinner from the

error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a

multitude of sins.