[James 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.}

 

             ^1:1 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 awas 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.’}