| English Standard Version | New International Version |
| 1James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings. | 1James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings. |
| 2Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, | 2Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, |
| 3for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. | 3because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. |
| 4And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. | 4Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. |
| 5If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. | 5If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. |
| 6But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. | 6But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. |
| 7For that person must not suppose that he will 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. | 8Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do. |
| 9Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, | 9Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position. |
| 10and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. | 10But the rich should take pride in their humiliation--since they will pass away like a wild flower. |
| 11For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits. | 11For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich will fade away even while they go about their business. |
| 12Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. | 12Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. |
| 13Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. | 13When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; |
| 14But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. | 14but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. |
| 15Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. | 15Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. |
| 16Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. | 16Don't be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. |
| 17Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. | 17Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. |
| 18Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. | 18He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. |
| 19Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; | 19My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, |
| 20for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. | 20because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. |
| 21Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. | 21Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. |
| 22But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. | 22Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. |
| 23For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. | 23Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror |
| 24For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. | 24and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. |
| 25But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. | 25But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it--not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it--they will be blessed in what they do. |
| 26If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. | 26Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. |
| 27Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world. | 27Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. |
| ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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