GetPassageurn:cts:pbc:bible.parallel.eng.kingjames:59urn:cts:pbc:bible.parallel.eng.kingjames:59James , a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ , to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad , greeting . My brethren , count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations ; Knowing this , that the trying of your faith worketh patience . But let patience have her perfect work , that ye may be perfect and entire , wanting nothing . 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 . 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 . For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord . A double minded man is unstable in all his ways . Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted : But the rich , in that he is made low : because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away . 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 . 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 . 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 : But every man is tempted , when he is drawn away of his own lust , and enticed . Then when lust hath conceived , it bringeth forth sin : and sin , when it is finished , bringeth forth death . Do not err , my beloved brethren . 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 . Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth , that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures . Wherefore , my beloved brethren , let every man be swift to hear , slow to speak , slow to wrath : For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God . Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness , and receive with meekness the engrafted word , which is able to save your souls . But be ye doers of the word , and not hearers only , deceiving your own selves . 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 : For he beholdeth himself , and goeth his way , and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was . 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 . 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 . 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 . My brethren , have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ , the Lord of glory , with respect of persons . 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 ; 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 : Are ye not then partial in yourselves , and are become judges of evil thoughts ? 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 ? But ye have despised the poor . Do not rich men oppress you , and draw you before the judgment seats ? Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called ? If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture , Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself , ye do well : But if ye have respect to persons , ye commit sin , and are convinced of the law as transgressors . For whosoever shall keep the whole law , and yet offend in one point , he is guilty of all . 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 . So speak ye , and so do , as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty . For he shall have judgment without mercy , that hath shewed no mercy ; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment . What doth it profit , my brethren , though a man say he hath faith , and have not works ? can faith save him ? If a brother or sister be naked , and destitute of daily food , 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 ? Even so faith , if it hath not works , is dead , being alone . 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 . Thou believest that there is one God ; thou doest well : the devils also 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 ? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works , and by works was faith made perfect ? 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 . Ye see then how that by works a man is justified , and not by faith only . Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works , when she had received the messengers , and had sent them out another way ? For as the body without the spirit is dead , so faith without works is dead also . My brethren , be not many masters , knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation . 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 . Behold , we put bits in the horses' mouths , that they may obey us ; and we turn about their whole body . 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 . Even so the tongue is a little member , and boasteth great things . Behold , how great a matter a little fire kindleth ! 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 . 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 : But the tongue can no man tame ; it is an unruly evil , full of deadly poison . Therewith bless we God , even the Father ; and therewith curse we men , which are made after the similitude of God . Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing . My brethren , these things ought not so to be . Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter ? Can the fig tree , my brethren , bear olive berries ? either a vine , figs ? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh . 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 . But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts , glory not , and lie not against the truth . This wisdom descendeth not from above , but is earthly , sensual , devilish . For where envying and strife is , there is confusion and every evil work . 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 . And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace . From whence come wars and fightings among you ? come they not hence , even of your lusts that war in your members ? 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 . Ye ask , and receive not , because ye ask amiss , that ye may consume it upon your lusts . 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 . Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain , The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy ? But he giveth more grace . Wherefore he saith , God resisteth the proud , but giveth grace unto the humble . Submit yourselves therefore to God . Resist the devil , and he will flee from you . Draw nigh to God , and he will draw nigh to you . Cleanse your hands , ye sinners ; and purify your hearts , ye double minded . Be afflicted , and mourn , and weep : let your laughter be turned to mourning , and your joy to heaviness . Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord , and he shall lift you up . 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 . There is one lawgiver , who is able to save and to destroy : who art thou that judgest another ? 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 : 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 . For that ye ought to say , If the Lord will , we shall live , and do this , or that . But now ye rejoice in your boastings : all such rejoicing is evil . Therefore to him that knoweth to do good , and doeth it not , to him it is sin . Go to now , ye rich men , weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you . Your riches are corrupted , and your garments are motheaten . 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 . 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 . Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth , and been wanton ; ye have nourished your hearts , as in a day of slaughter . Ye have condemned and killed the just ; and he doth not resist you . 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 . Be ye also patient ; stablish your hearts : for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh . Grudge not one against another , brethren , lest ye be condemned : behold , the judge standeth before the door . Take , my brethren , the prophets , who have spoken in the name of the Lord , for an example of suffering affliction , and of patience . 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 . 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 . Is any among you afflicted ? let him pray . Is any merry ? let him sing psalms . 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 : 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 . 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 . 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 . And he prayed again , and the heaven gave rain , and the earth brought forth her fruit . Brethren , if any of you do err from the truth , and one convert him ; Let him know , that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death , and shall hide a multitude of sins .