| Berean Study Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes of the Dispersion: Greetings. | 1James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ: To the 12 tribes in the Dispersion. Greetings. |
| 2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds, | 2Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, |
| 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. | 3knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. |
| 4Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. | 4But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing. |
| 5Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. | 5Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without criticizing, and it will be given to him. |
| 6But he must ask in faith, without doubting, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. | 6But let him ask in faith without doubting. For the doubter is like the surging sea, driven and tossed by the wind. |
| 7That man should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. | 7That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. |
| 8He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. | 8An indecisive man is unstable in all his ways. |
| 9The brother in humble circumstances should exult in his high position. | 9The brother of humble circumstances should boast in his exaltation, |
| 10But the one who is rich should exult in his low position, because he will pass away like a flower of the field. | 10but the one who is rich should boast in his humiliation because he will pass away like a flower of the field. |
| 11For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its flower falls and its beauty is lost. So too, the rich man will fade away in the midst of his pursuits. | 11For the sun rises with its scorching heat and dries up the grass; its flower falls off, and its beautiful appearance is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will wither away while pursuing his activities. |
| 12Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him. | 12A man who endures trials is blessed, because when he passes the test he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him. |
| 13When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone. | 13No one undergoing a trial should say, "I am being tempted by God." For God is not tempted by evil, and He Himself doesn't tempt anyone. |
| 14But each one is tempted when by his own evil desires he is lured away and enticed. | 14But each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own evil desires. |
| 15Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. | 15Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death. |
| 16Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. | 16Don't be deceived, my dearly loved brothers. |
| 17Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, with whom there is no change or shifting shadow. | 17Every generous act and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights; with Him there is no variation or shadow cast by turning. |
| 18He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we would be a kind of firstfruits of His creation. | 18By His own choice, He gave us a new birth by the message of truth so that we would be the firstfruits of His creatures. |
| 19My beloved brothers, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger, | 19My dearly loved brothers, understand this: Everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger, |
| 20for man’s anger does not bring about the righteousness that God desires. | 20for man's anger does not accomplish God's righteousness. |
| 21Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and every expression of evil, and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save your souls. | 21Therefore, ridding yourselves of all moral filth and evil, humbly receive the implanted word, which is able to save you. |
| 22Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves. | 22But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. |
| 23For anyone who hears the word but does not carry it out is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror, | 23Because if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man looking at his own face in a mirror. |
| 24and after observing himself goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. | 24For he looks at himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. |
| 25But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom, and continues to do so—not being a forgetful hearer, but an effective doer—he will be blessed in what he does. | 25But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom and perseveres in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but one who does good works--this person will be blessed in what he does. |
| 26If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not bridle his tongue, he deceives his heart and his religion is worthless. | 26If anyone thinks he is religious without controlling his tongue, then his religion is useless and he deceives himself. |
| 27Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. | 27Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained by the world. |
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