Dec 21 - James 1-3
James
1James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion:Greetings.2Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,3for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.4And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.5If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.6But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.7For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;8he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.9Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation,10and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away.11For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.12Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.13Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God," for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.14But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.15Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.16Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers.17Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.18Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.19Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;20for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness that God requires.21Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.22But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.23For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror.24For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.25But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.26If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless.27Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.
1My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory.2For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in,3and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, "You sit here in a good place," while you say to the poor man, "You stand over there," or, "Sit down at my feet,"4have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?5Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him?6But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court?7Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called?8If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing well.9But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.10For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it.11For he who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.12So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty.13For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.14What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?15If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food,16and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?17So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.18But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.19You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe--and shudder!20Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?21Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar?22You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works;23and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness"--and he was called a friend of God.24You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.25And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way?26For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.
1Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.2For we all stumble in many ways, and if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.3If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well.4Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs.5So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things.How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire!6And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell.7For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind,8but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.9With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God.10From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.11Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water?12Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.13Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom.14But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth.15This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.16For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.17But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.18And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.