GetPassageurn:cts:pbc:bible.parallel.eng.darby:59urn:cts:pbc:bible.parallel.eng.darby:59James , bondman of God and of [ the ] Lord Jesus Christ , to the twelve tribes which [ are ] in the dispersion , greeting . Count it all joy , my brethren , when ye fall into various temptations , knowing that the proving of your faith works endurance . But let endurance have [ its ] perfect work , that ye may be perfect and complete , lacking in nothing . But if any one of you lack wisdom , let him ask of God , who gives to all freely and reproaches not , and it shall be given to him : but let him ask in faith , nothing doubting . For he that doubts is like a wave of the sea driven by the wind and tossed about ; for let not that man think that he shall receive anything from the Lord ; [ he is ] a double-minded man , unstable in all his ways . But let the brother of low degree glory in his elevation , and the rich in his humiliation , because as [ the ] grass's flower he will pass away . For the sun has risen with its burning heat , and has withered the grass , and its flower has fallen , and the comeliness of its look has perished : thus the rich also shall wither in his goings . Blessed [ is the ] man who endures temptation ; for , having been proved , he shall receive the crown of life , which He has promised to them that love him . Let no man , being tempted , say , I am tempted of God . For God cannot be tempted by evil things , and himself tempts no one . But every one is tempted , drawn away , and enticed by his own lust ; then lust , having conceived , gives birth to sin ; but sin fully completed brings forth death . Do not err , my beloved brethren . Every good gift and every perfect gift comes down from above , from the Father of lights , with whom is no variation nor shadow of turning . According to his own will begat he us by the word of truth , that we should be a certain first-fruits of * his * creatures . So that , my beloved brethren , let every man be swift to hear , slow to speak , slow to wrath ; for man's wrath does not work God's righteousness . Wherefore , laying aside all filthiness and abounding of wickedness , accept with meekness the implanted word , which is able to save your souls . But be ye doers of [ the ] word and not hearers only , beguiling yourselves . For if any man be a hearer of [ the ] word and not a doer , * he * is like to a man considering his natural face in a mirror : for he has considered himself and is gone away , and straightway he has forgotten what he was like . But * he * that fixes his view on [ the ] perfect law , that of liberty , and abides in [ it ] , being not a forgetful hearer but a doer of [ the ] work , * he * shall be blessed in his doing . If any one think himself to be religious , not bridling his tongue , but deceiving his heart , this man's religion is vain . Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this : to visit orphans and widows in their affliction , to keep oneself unspotted from the world . My brethren , do not have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ , [ Lord ] of glory , with respect of persons : for if there come unto your synagogue a man with a gold ring in splendid apparel , and a poor man also come in in vile apparel , and ye look upon him who wears the splendid apparel , and say , Do thou sit here well , and say to the poor , Do thou stand there , or sit here under my footstool : have ye not made a difference among yourselves , and become judges having evil thoughts ? Hear , my beloved brethren : Has not God chosen the poor as to the world , rich in faith , and heirs of the kingdom , which he has promised to them that love him ? But * ye * have despised the poor [ man ] . Do not the rich oppress you , and [ do not ] * they * drag you before [ the ] tribunals ? And [ do not ] * they * blaspheme the excellent name which has been called upon you ? If indeed ye keep [ the ] royal law according to the scripture , Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself , ye do well . But if ye have respect of persons , ye commit sin , being convicted by the law as transgressors . For whoever shall keep the whole law and shall offend in one [ point ] , he has come under the guilt of [ breaking ] all . For he who said , Thou shalt not commit adultery , said also , Thou shalt not kill . Now if thou dost not commit adultery , but killest , thou art become transgressor of [ the ] law . So speak ye , and so act , as those that are to be judged by [ the ] law of liberty ; for judgment [ will be ] without mercy to him that has shewn no mercy . Mercy glories over judgment . What [ is ] the profit , my brethren , if any one say he have faith , but have not works ? can faith save him ? Now if a brother or a sister is naked and destitute of daily food , and one from amongst you say to them , Go in peace , be warmed and filled ; but give not to them the needful things for the body , what [ is ] the profit ? So also faith , if it have not works , is dead by itself . But some one will say , * Thou * hast faith and * I * have works . Shew me thy faith without works , and * I * from my works will shew thee my faith . * Thou * believest that God is one . Thou doest well . The demons even believe , and tremble . But wilt thou know , O vain man , that faith without works is dead ? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar ? Thou seest that faith wrought with his works , and that by works faith was perfected . And the scripture was fulfilled which says , Abraham believed God , and it was reckoned to him as righteousness , and he was called Friend of God . Ye see that a man is justified on the principle of works , and not on the principle of faith only . But was not in like manner also Rahab the harlot justified on the principle of works , when she had received the messengers and put [ them ] forth by another way ? For as the body without a spirit is dead , so also faith without works is dead . Be not many teachers , my brethren , knowing that we shall receive greater judgment . For we all often offend . If any one offend not in word , * he * [ is ] a perfect man , able to bridle the whole body too . Behold , we put the bits in the mouths of the horses , that they may obey us , and we turn round their whole bodies . Behold also the ships , which are so great , and driven by violent winds , are turned about by a very small rudder , wherever the pleasure of the helmsman will . Thus also the tongue is a little member , and boasts great things . See how little a fire , how large a wood it kindles ! and the tongue [ is ] fire , the world of unrighteousness ; the tongue is set in our members , the defiler of the whole body , and which sets fire to the course of nature , and is set on fire of hell . For every species both of beasts and of birds , both of creeping things and of sea animals , is tamed and has been tamed by the human species ; but the tongue can no one among men tame ; [ it is ] an unsettled evil , full of death-bringing poison . Therewith bless we the Lord and Father , and therewith curse we men made after [ the ] likeness of God . Out of the same mouth goes forth blessing and cursing . It is not right , my brethren , that these things should be thus . Does the fountain , out of the same opening , pour forth sweet and bitter ? Can , my brethren , a fig produce olives , or a vine figs ? Neither [ can ] salt [ water ] make sweet water . Who [ is ] wise and understanding among you ; let him shew out of a good conversation his works in meekness of wisdom ; but if ye have bitter emulation and strife in your hearts , do not boast and lie against the truth . This is not the wisdom which comes down from above , but earthly , natural , devilish . For where emulation and strife [ are ] , there [ is ] disorder and every evil thing . But the wisdom from above first is pure , then peaceful , gentle , yielding , full of mercy and good fruits , unquestioning , unfeigned . But [ the ] fruit of righteousness in peace is sown for them that make peace . Whence [ come ] wars and whence fightings among you ? [ Is it ] not thence , -- from your pleasures , which war in your members ? Ye lust and have not : ye kill and are full of envy , and cannot obtain ; ye fight and war ; ye have not because ye ask not . Ye ask and receive not , because ye ask evilly , that ye may consume [ it ] in your pleasures . Adulteresses , know ye not that friendship with the world is enmity with God ? Whoever therefore is minded to be [ the ] friend of the world is constituted enemy of God . Think ye that the scripture speaks in vain ? Does the Spirit which has taken his abode in us desire enviously ? But he gives more grace . Wherefore he says , God sets himself against [ the ] proud , but gives grace to [ the ] lowly . Subject yourselves therefore to God . Resist the devil , and he will flee from you . Draw near to God , and he will draw near to you . Cleanse [ your ] hands , sinners , and purify [ your ] hearts , ye double-minded . Be wretched , and mourn , and weep : let your laughter be turned to mourning , and [ your ] joy to heaviness . Humble yourselves before [ the ] Lord , and he shall exalt you . Speak not against one another , brethren . He that speaks against [ his ] brother , or judges his brother , speaks against [ the ] law and judges [ the ] law . But if thou judgest [ the ] law , thou art not doer of [ the ] law , but judge . One is the lawgiver and judge , who is able to save and to destroy : but who art * thou * who judgest thy neighbour ? Go to now , ye who say , To-day or to-morrow will we go into such a city and spend a year there , and traffic and make gain , ye who do not know what will be on the morrow , ( [ for ] what [ is ] your life ? It is even a vapour , appearing for a little while , and then disappearing , ) instead of your saying , If the Lord should [ so ] will and we should live , we will also do this or that . But now ye glory in your vauntings : all such glorying is evil . To him therefore who knows how to do good , and does it not , to him it is sin . Go to now , ye rich , weep , howling over your miseries that [ are ] coming upon [ you ] . Your wealth is become rotten , and your garments moth-eaten . Your gold and silver is eaten away , and their canker shall be for a witness against you , and shall eat your flesh as fire . Ye have heaped up treasure in [ the ] last days . Behold , the wages of your labourers , who have harvested your fields , wrongfully kept back by you , cry , and the cries of those that have reaped are entered into the ears of [ the ] Lord of sabaoth . Ye have lived luxuriously on the earth and indulged yourselves ; ye have nourished your hearts [ as ] in a day of slaughter ; ye have condemned , ye have killed the just ; he does not resist you . Have patience , therefore , brethren , till the coming of the Lord . Behold , the labourer awaits the precious fruit of the earth , having patience for it until it receive [ the ] early and [ the ] latter rain . * Ye * also have patience : stablish your hearts , for the coming of the Lord is drawn nigh . Complain not one against another , brethren , that ye be not judged . Behold , the judge stands before the door . Take [ as ] an example , brethren , of suffering and having patience , the prophets , who have spoken in the name of [ the ] Lord . Behold , we call them blessed who have endured . Ye have heard of the endurance of Job , and seen the end of the Lord ; that the Lord is full of tender compassion and pitiful . But before all things , my brethren , swear not , neither by heaven , nor by the earth , nor by any other oath ; but let your yea be yea , and your nay , nay , that ye do not fall under judgment . Does any one among you suffer evil ? let him pray . Is any happy ? let him sing psalms . Is any sick among you ? let him call to [ him ] the elders of the assembly , and let them pray over him , anointing him with oil in the name of [ the ] Lord ; and the prayer of faith shall heal the sick , and the Lord shall raise him up ; and if he be one who has committed sins , it shall be forgiven him . Confess therefore your offences to one another , and pray for one another , that ye may be healed . [ The ] fervent supplication of the righteous [ man ] has much power . Elias was a man of like passions to us , and he prayed with prayer that it should not rain ; and it did not rain upon the earth three years and six months ; and again he prayed , and the heaven gave rain , and the earth caused its fruit to spring forth . My brethren , if any one among you err from the truth , and one bring him back , let him know that he that brings back a sinner from [ the ] error of his way shall save a soul from death and shall cover a multitude of sins .