Bible Book - INDEX

MODERN LITERAL VERSION - 2026 Update

1:1      {Note: Mark and Matthew were written at about the same time as James, or slightly before. This help explain a lot of questions why Matthew is written to the Jews and Mark was written to the Greeks.}       James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes, the ones in the dispersion, hail to you^°!      

1:2 My brethren, deem^° it with all joy, whenever you^° fall into various temptations,

1:3 knowing that the proving of your^° faith {Or: belief; and throughout the N.T.} is working out endurance.

1:4 But let endurance have its complete work, in-order-that you^° may be complete and whole, deficient in nothing.      

1:5 But if anyone of you^° is deficient of wisdom, let him ask from God, the one giving to all in liberally and does not reproach any, and it will be given to him.

1:6 But let him ask in faith, doubting nothing. For^* the one who is doubting himself has resembled a wave of the sea being blown by the wind and tossed around.

1:7 For^* do not let that man assume that he will be receiving anything from the Lord;

1:8 an indecisive man is restless in all his ways.      

1:9 But let the humble brother boast in his elevation,

1:10 but the rich brother in his humbleness, because like the flower of grass, he will pass-away.

1:11 For^* the sun rose together-with the burning heat, and dried up the grass, and its flower fell off and the beauty of its face perished. So will the rich man also fade-away in his pursuits.      

1:12 The fortunate man who is enduring temptation, because when he became approved, he will be receiving the crown of life, which the Lord promised to the ones who love^* him.

1:13 Let no one say while he is tempted, I am tempted from God, for^* God is not temptable from evils, and he himself tempts no one.

1:14 But each person is tempted, while he is lured out and is enticed by his own lust.

1:15 Thereafter, when conceived, it bears sin, and sin, after it was matured, gives-birth-to death.

1:16 Do^° not be misled, my beloved brethren!      

1:17 Every good act of giving, and every complete gift, is from above, descending from the Father of lights, with whom there is no change or a shadow of turning.

1:18 After he willed it, and gave-birth-to us with the word of truth, that^* we might be a certain first-fruit of his created things.      

1:19 So-then my beloved brethren, let every man be quick that^* he may hear, be slow that^* he may speak, and slow to wrath.

1:20 For^* the wrath of man is not working out the righteousness of God.

1:21 Hence, after placing away from yourselves all filthiness and the abundance of malice, accept^° the implanted word in meekness, the one which is able to save your^° souls.      

1:22 But become^° doers of the word and not hearers only, deluding yourselves.

1:23 Because if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, this one has resembled a man considering his face (which was his from birth) in a mirror.

1:24 For^* he considered himself, and has gone away and immediately forgot what sort of man he was.

1:25 But he who peered into the complete law, the law of freedom, and has remained in it, this one did not become a forgetful hearer, but a doer of work, this one will be fortunate in his doing^* {Or: practice ; action}. {1Co 13:10}      

1:26 If anyone among you^° thinks himself to be outwardly religious, though he does not bridle his tongue but is deceiving his heart; this one’s religion is futile.     

1:27 A clean and undefiled religion with our God and Father is this: to visit the orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unstained from the world.       {Many try to use the other meaning of this Greek word: ‘oversee’ for ‘visit’. The ‘orphans’ can be the ‘fatherless’. See the section ‘Greek History During New Testament Times.’}