The Book of James, Chapter 1 1 James the servant of God, and of our Lord Jesus Christ, to
the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.
2 My brethren, count it all joy, when you shall fall into
divers temptations;
3 Knowing that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
4 And patience hath a perfect work; that you may be perfect
and entire, failing in nothing.
5 But if any of you want wisdom, let him ask of God, who
giveth to all men abundantly, and upbraideth not; and it
shall be given him.
6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that
wavereth is like a wave of the sea, which is moved and
carried about by the wind.
7 Therefore let not that man think that he shall receive any
thing of the Lord.
8 A double minded man is inconstant in all his ways.
9 But let the brother of low condition glory in his
exaltation:
10 And the rich, in his being low; because as the flower of
the grass shall he pass away.
11 For the sun rose with a burning heat, and parched the
grass, and the flower thereof fell off, and the beauty of
the shape thereof perished: so also shall the rich man
fade away in his ways.
12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation; for when he
hath been proved, he shall receive a crown of life, which
God hath promised to them that love him.
13 Let no man, when he is tempted, say that he is tempted by
God. For God is not a tempter of evils, and he tempteth
no man.
14 But every man is tempted by his own concupiscence, being
drawn away and allured.
15 Then when concupiscence hath conceived, it bringeth forth
sin. But sin, when it is completed, begetteth death.
16 Do not err, therefore, my dearest brethren.
17 Every best gift, and every perfect gift, is from above,
coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is
no change, nor shadow of alteration.
18 For of his own will hath he begotten us by the word of
truth, that we might be some beginning of his creature.
19 You know, my dearest brethren. And let every man be swift
to hear, but slow to speak, and slow to anger.
20 For the anger of man worketh not the justice of God.
21 Wherefore casting away all uncleanness, and abundance of
naughtiness, with meekness receive the ingrafted word,
which is able to save your souls.
22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only,
deceiving your own selves.
23 For if a man be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he
shall be compared to a man beholding his own countenance
in a glass.
24 For he beheld himself, and went his way, and presently
forgot what manner of man he was.
25 But he that hath looked into the perfect law of liberty,
and hath continued therein, not becoming a forgetful
hearer, but a doer of the work; this man shall be blessed
in his deed.
26 And if any man think himself to be religious, not bridling
his tongue, but deceiving his own heart, this man's
religion is vain.
27 Religion clean and undefiled before God and the Father, is
this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their
tribulation: and to keep one's self unspotted from this
world.
The Book of James, Chapter 2
1 My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ
of glory with respect of persons.
2 For if there shall come into your assembly a man having a
golden ring, in fine apparel, and there shall come in also
a poor man in mean attire,
3 And you have respect to him that is clothed with the fine
apparel, and shall say to him: Sit thou here well; but
say to the poor man: Stand thou there, or sit under my
footstool:
4 Do you not judge within yourselves, and are become judges
of unjust thoughts?
5 Hearken, my dearest brethren: hath not God chosen the
poor in this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the
kingdom which God hath promised to them that love him?
6 But you have dishonoured the poor man. Do not the rich
oppress you by might? and do not they draw you before the
judgment seats?
7 Do not they blaspheme the good name that is invoked upon
you?
8 If then you fulfil the royal law, according to the
scriptures, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself; you
do well.
9 But if you have respect to persons, you commit sin, being
reproved by the law as transgressors.
10 And whosoever shall keep the whole law, but offend in one
point, is become guilty of all.
11 For he that said, Thou shalt not commit adultery, said
also, Thou shalt not kill. Now if thou do not commit
adultery, but shalt kill, thou art become a transgressor
of the law.
12 So speak ye, and so do, as being to be judged by the law
of liberty.
13 For judgment without mercy to him that hath not done
mercy. And mercy exalteth itself above judgment.
14 What shall it profit, my brethren, if a man say he hath
faith, but hath not works? Shall faith be able to save
him?
15 And if a brother or sister be naked, and want daily food:
16 And one of you say to them: Go in peace, be ye warmed and
filled; yet give them not those things that are necessary
for the body, what shall it profit?
17 So faith also, if it have not works, is dead in itself.
18 But some man will say: Thou hast faith, and I have works:
shew me thy faith without works; and I will shew thee, by
works, my faith.
19 Thou believest that there is one God. Thou dost well:
the devils also believe and tremble.
20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works
is dead?
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, offering up
Isaac his son upon the altar?
22 Seest thou, that faith did co-operate with his works; and
by works faith was made perfect?
23 And the scripture was fulfilled, saying: Abraham believed
God, and it was reputed to him to justice, and he was
called the friend of God.
24 Do you see that by works a man is justified; and not by
faith only?
25 And in like manner also Rahab the harlot, was not she
justified by works, receiving the messengers, and sending
them out another way?
26 For even as the body without the spirit is dead; so also
faith without works is dead.
The Book of James, Chapter 3
1 Be ye not many masters, my brethren, knowing that you
receive the greater judgment.
2 For in many things we all offend. If any man offend not
in word, the same is a perfect man. He is able also with
a bridle to lead about the whole body.
3 For if we put bits into the mouths of horses, that they
may obey us, and we turn about their whole body.
4 Behold also ships, whereas they are great, and are driven
by strong winds, yet are they turned about with a small
helm, whithersoever the force of the governor willeth.
5 Even so the tongue is indeed a little member, and boasteth
great things. Behold how small a fire kindleth a great
wood.
6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue
is placed among our members, which defileth the whole
body, and inflameth the wheel of our nativity, being set
on fire by hell.
7 For every nature of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents,
and of the rest, is tamed, and hath been tamed, by the
nature of man:
8 But the tongue no man can tame, an unquiet evil, full of
deadly poison.
9 By it we bless God and the Father: and by it we curse
men, who are made after the likeness of God.
10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My
brethren, these things ought not so to be.
11 Doth a fountain send forth, out of the same hole, sweet
and bitter water?
12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear grapes; or the vine,
figs? So neither can the salt water yield sweet.
13 Who is a wise man, and endued with knowledge among you?
Let him shew, by a good conversation, his work in the
meekness of wisdom.
14 But if you have bitter zeal, and there be contentions in
your hearts; glory not, and be not liars against the
truth.
15 For this is not wisdom, descending from above: but
earthly, sensual, devilish.
16 For where envying and contention is, there is inconstancy,
and every evil work.
17 But the wisdom, that is from above, first indeed is
chaste, then peaceable, modest, easy to be persuaded,
consenting to the good, full of mercy and good fruits,
without judging, without dissimulation.
18 And the fruit of justice is sown in peace, to them that
make peace.
The Book of James, Chapter 4
1 From whence are wars and contentions among you? Are they
not hence, from your concupiscences, which war in your
members?
2 You covet, and have not: you kill, and envy, and can not
obtain. You contend and war, and you have not, because
you ask not.
3 You ask, and receive not; because you ask amiss: that you
may consume it on your concupiscences.
4 Adulterers, know you not that the friendship of this world
is the enemy of God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend
of this world, becometh an enemy of God.
5 Or do you think that the scripture saith in vain: To envy
doth the spirit covet which dwelleth in you?
6 But he giveth greater grace. Wherefore he saith: God
resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
7 Be subject therefore to God, but resist the devil, and he
will fly from you.
8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse
your hands, ye sinners: and purify your hearts, ye double
minded.
9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be
turned into mourning, and your joy into sorrow.
10 Be humbled in the sight of the Lord, and he will exalt
you.
11 Detract not one another, my brethren. He that detracteth
his brother, or he that judgeth his brother, detracteth
the law, and judgeth the law. But if thou judge the law,
thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.
12 There is one lawgiver, and judge, that is able to destroy
and to deliver.
13 But who art thou that judgest thy neighbour? Behold, now
you that say: To day or to morrow we will go into such a
city, and there we will spend a year, and will traffic,
and make our gain.
14 Whereas you know not what shall be on the morrow.
15 For what is your life? It is a vapour which appeareth for
a little while, and afterwards shall vanish away. For
that you should say: If the Lord will, and if we shall
live, we will do this or that.
16 But now you rejoice in your arrogancies. All such
rejoicing is wicked.
17 To him therefore who knoweth to do good, and doth it not,
to him it is sin.
The Book of James, Chapter 5
1 Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl in your miseries,
which shall come upon you.
2 Your riches are corrupted: and your garments are
motheaten.
3 Your gold and silver is cankered: and the rust of them
shall be for a testimony against you, and shall eat your
flesh like fire. You have stored up to yourselves wrath
against the last days.
4 Behold the hire of the labourers, who have reaped down
your fields, which by fraud has been kept back by you,
crieth: and the cry of them hath entered into the ears of
the Lord of sabaoth.
5 You have feasted upon earth: and in riotousness you have
nourished your hearts, in the day of slaughter.
6 You have condemned and put to death the Just One, and he
resisted you not.
7 Be patient therefore, brethren, until the coming of the
Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious
fruit of the earth: patiently bearing till he receive the
early and latter rain.
8 Be you therefore also patient, and strengthen your hearts:
for the coming of the Lord is at hand.
9 Grudge not, brethren, one against another, that you may
not be judged. Behold the judge standeth before the door.
10 Take, my brethren, for an example of suffering evil, of
labour and patience, the prophets, who spoke in the name
of the Lord.
11 Behold, we account them blessed who have endured. You
have heard of the patience of Job, and you have seen the
end of the Lord, that the Lord is merciful and
compassionate.
12 But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by
heaven, nor by the earth, nor by any other oath. But let
your speech be, yea, yea: no, no: that you fall not under
judgment.
13 Is any of you sad? Let him pray. Is he cheerful in mind?
Let him sing.
14 Is any man sick among you? Let him bring in the priests
of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him
with oil in the name of the Lord.
15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick man: and the
Lord shall raise him up: and if he be in sins, they shall
be forgiven him.
16 Confess therefore your sins one to another: and pray one
for another, that you may be saved. For the continual
prayer of a just man availeth much.
17 Elias was a man passible like unto us: and with prayer he
prayed that it might not rain upon the earth, and it
rained not for three years and six months.
18 And he prayed again: and the heaven gave rain, and the
earth brought forth her fruit.
19 My brethren, if any of you err from the truth, and one
convert him:
20 He must know that he who causeth a sinner to be converted
from the error of his way, shall save his soul from death,
and shall cover a multitude of sins.
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