James 1:17-5:20

New International Version

¹⁷ Every good and perfect gift is from above,^(A) coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights,^(B) who does not change^(C) like shifting shadows. ¹⁸ He chose to give us birth^(D) through the word of truth,^(E) that we might be a kind of firstfruits^(F) of all he created.

Listening and Doing

¹⁹ My dear brothers and sisters,^(G) take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak^(H) and slow to become angry, ²⁰ because human anger^(I) does not produce the righteousness that God desires. ²¹ Therefore, get rid of^(J) all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you,^(K) which can save you.

²² Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.^{(L) 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 ²⁴ and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. ²⁵ But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom,^(M) and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.^(N)

²⁶ Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues^(O) deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. ²⁷ Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after^(P) orphans and widows^(Q) in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.^(R)

Favoritism Forbidden

2 My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious^(S) Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism.^{(T) 2} Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. ³ If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” ⁴ have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges^(U) with evil thoughts?

⁵ Listen, my dear brothers and sisters:^(V) Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world^(W) to be rich in faith^(X) and to inherit the kingdom^(Y) he promised those who love him?^{(Z) 6} But you have dishonored the poor.^(AA) Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court?^{(AB) 7} Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong?

⁸ If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,”^[a](AC) you are doing right. ⁹ But if you show favoritism,^(AD) you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.^{(AE) 10} For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles^(AF) at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.^{(AG) 11} For he who said, “You shall not commit adultery,”^[b](AH) also said, “You shall not murder.”^[c](AI) If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.

¹² Speak and act as those who are going to be judged^(AJ) by the law that gives freedom,^{(AK) 13} because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful.^(AL) Mercy triumphs over judgment.

Faith and Deeds

¹⁴ What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds?^(AM) Can such faith save them? ¹⁵ Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food.^{(AN) 16} If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?^{(AO) 17} In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.^(AP)

¹⁸ But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”

Show me your faith without deeds,^(AQ) and I will show you my faith^(AR) by my deeds.^{(AS) 19} You believe that there is one God.^(AT) Good! Even the demons believe that^(AU)—and shudder.

²⁰ You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless^[d]?^{(AV) 21} Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?^{(AW) 22} You see that his faith and his actions were working together,^(AX) and his faith was made complete by what he did.^{(AY) 23} And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,”^[e](AZ) and he was called God’s friend.^{(BA) 24} You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.

²⁵ In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?^{(BB) 26} As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.^(BC)

Taming the Tongue

3 Not many of you should become teachers,^(BD) my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged^(BE) more strictly.^{(BF) 2} We all stumble^(BG) in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say^(BH) is perfect,^(BI) able to keep their whole body in check.^(BJ)

³ When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal.^{(BK) 4} Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. ⁵ Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts.^(BL) Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. ⁶ The tongue also is a fire,^(BM) a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body,^(BN) sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.^(BO)

⁷ All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, ⁸ but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.^(BP)

⁹ With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness.^{(BQ) 10} Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. ¹¹ Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? ¹² My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs?^(BR) Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

Two Kinds of Wisdom

¹³ Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it^(BS) by their good life, by deeds^(BT) done in the humility that comes from wisdom. ¹⁴ But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition^(BU) in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.^{(BV) 15} Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven^(BW) but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.^{(BX) 16} For where you have envy and selfish ambition,^(BY) there you find disorder and every evil practice.

¹⁷ But the wisdom that comes from heaven^(BZ) is first of all pure; then peace-loving,^(CA) considerate, submissive, full of mercy^(CB) and good fruit, impartial and sincere.^{(CC) 18} Peacemakers^(CD) who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.^(CE)

Submit Yourselves to God

4 What causes fights and quarrels^(CF) among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle^(CG) within you? ² You desire but do not have, so you kill.^(CH) You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. ³ When you ask, you do not receive,^(CI) because you ask with wrong motives,^(CJ) that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

⁴ You adulterous^(CK) people,^[f] don’t you know that friendship with the world^(CL) means enmity against God?^(CM) Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.^{(CN) 5} Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us^[g]?^{(CO) 6} But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:

⁷ Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil,^(CQ) and he will flee from you. ⁸ Come near to God and he will come near to you.^(CR) Wash your hands,^(CS) you sinners, and purify your hearts,^(CT) you double-minded.^{(CU) 9} Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom.^{(CV) 10} Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.^(CW)

¹¹ Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another.^(CX) Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister^[i] or judges them^(CY) speaks against the law^(CZ) and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it,^(DA) but sitting in judgment on it. ¹² There is only one Lawgiver and Judge,^(DB) the one who is able to save and destroy.^(DC) But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?^(DD)

Boasting About Tomorrow

¹³ Now listen,^(DE) you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.”^{(DF) 14} Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.^{(DG) 15} Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will,^(DH) we will live and do this or that.” ¹⁶ As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil.^{(DI) 17} If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.^(DJ)

Warning to Rich Oppressors

5 Now listen,^(DK) you rich people,^(DL) weep and wail^(DM) because of the misery that is coming on you. ² Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes.^{(DN) 3} Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days.^{(DO) 4} Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers^(DP) who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries^(DQ) of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty.^{(DR) 5} You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves^(DS) in the day of slaughter.^{[j](DT) 6} You have condemned and murdered^(DU) the innocent one,^(DV) who was not opposing you.

Patience in Suffering

⁷ Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming.^(DW) See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting^(DX) for the autumn and spring rains.^{(DY) 8} You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming^(DZ) is near.^{(EA) 9} Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters,^(EB) or you will be judged. The Judge^(EC) is standing at the door!^(ED)

¹⁰ Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets^(EE) who spoke in the name of the Lord. ¹¹ As you know, we count as blessed^(EF) those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance^(EG) and have seen what the Lord finally brought about.^(EH) The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.^(EI)

¹² Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple “Yes” or “No.” Otherwise you will be condemned.^(EJ)

The Prayer of Faith

¹³ Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray.^(EK) Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise.^{(EL) 14} Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders^(EM) of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil^(EN) in the name of the Lord. ¹⁵ And the prayer offered in faith^(EO) will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. ¹⁶ Therefore confess your sins^(EP) to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.^(EQ) The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.^(ER)

¹⁷ Elijah was a human being, even as we are.^(ES) He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.^{(ET) 18} Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.^(EU)

¹⁹ My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth^(EV) and someone should bring that person back,^{(EW) 20} remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save^(EX) them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.^(EY)