1James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are in the Diaspora: Greetings.

2Count it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials, 3knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4Let endurance have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

5But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without finding fault; and it will be given to him. 6But let him ask in faith, without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. 7For let that person not think that he will receive anything from the Lord. 8He is a double-minded person, unstable in all his ways.

9But let the brother in humble circumstances glory in his high position; 10and the rich, in that he is made humble, because like the flower in the grass, he will pass away. 11For the sun arises with the scorching wind, and withers the grass, and the flower in it falls, and the beauty of its appearance perishes. So also will the rich person fade away in his pursuits.

12Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial, for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which he promised to those who love him. 13Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God," for God cannot be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14But each one is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed. 15Then the lust, when it has conceived, bears sin; and the sin, when it is full grown, brings forth death. 16Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. 17All generous giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, nor turning shadow. 18Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.

19This you know, my beloved brothers. But let every person be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger; 20for human anger does not produce the righteousness of God. 21Therefore, putting away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness, receive with humility the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. 22But be doers of the word, and not only hearers, deluding your own selves. 23For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like someone looking at his natural face in a mirror; 24for he sees himself, and goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of person he was. 25But he who looks into the perfect Law of freedom, and continues, not being a hearer who forgets, but a doer of the work, this person will be blessed in what he does.

26If anyone thinks himself to be religious while he does not control his tongue, but deceives his heart, this one's religion is worthless. 27Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.