| New King James Version | Christian Standard Bible |
| 1James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad: Greetings. | 1James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ: To the twelve tribes dispersed abroad. Greetings. |
| 2My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, | 2Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, |
| 3knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. | 3because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. |
| 4But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. | 4And let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing. |
| 5If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. | 5Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God--who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly--and it will be given to him. |
| 6But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven 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. |
| 7For let not that man 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. | 8being double-minded and unstable in all his ways. |
| 9Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation, | 9Let the brother of humble circumstances boast in his exaltation, |
| 10but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away. | 10but let the rich boast in his humiliation because he will pass away like a flower of the field. |
| 11For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits. | 11For the sun rises and, together with the scorching wind, dries up the grass; its flower falls off, and its beautiful appearance perishes. In the same way, the rich person will wither away while pursuing his activities. |
| 12Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. | 12Blessed is the one who endures trials, because when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life that God has 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, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. | 13No one undergoing a trial should say, "I am being tempted by God," since God is not tempted by evil, and he himself doesn't tempt anyone. |
| 14But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. | 14But each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own evil desire. |
| 15Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth 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 brethren. | 16Don't be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. |
| 17Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. | 17Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. |
| 18Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures. | 18By his own choice, he gave us birth by the word of truth so that we would be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. |
| 19So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; | 19My dear brothers and sisters, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger, |
| 20for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God. | 20for human anger does not accomplish God's righteousness. |
| 21Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. | 21Therefore, ridding yourselves of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent, humbly receive the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. |
| 22But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. | 22But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. |
| 23For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; | 23Because if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like someone looking at his own face in a mirror. |
| 24for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. | 24For he looks at himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of person he was. |
| 25But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one 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 a doer who works--this person will be blessed in what he does. |
| 26If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless. | 26If anyone thinks he is religious without controlling his tongue, his religion is useless and he deceives himself. |
| 27Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. | 27Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained from the world. |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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