James 1

Greetings from James

1This letter is from James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. I am writing to the "twelve tribes"—Jewish believers scattered abroad. Greetings!G2385G1401G2316G2532G2962G2424G5547G1427G5443G1722G1290G5463

Faith and Endurance

2Dear brothers and sisters

, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.G3450G80G2233G3956G5479G3752G4045G4164G39863For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.G1097G3754G1383G5216G4102G2716G52814So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.G1161G2192G5281G2192G5046G2041G2443G5600G5046G2532G3648G3007G1722G33675If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.G1161G1536G5216G3007G4678G154G3844G2316G1325G3956G574G2532G3679G3361G2532G1325G8466But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.G1161G154G1722G4102G3367G1252G1063G1252G1503G2830G2281G416G2532G44947Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.G1063G3633G3361G1565G444G3633G3754G2983G5100G3844G29628Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.G1374G435G182G1722G3956G846G35989Believers who are

poor have something to boast about, for God has honored them.G1161G2744G80G5011G2744G1722G846G531110And those who are rich should boast that God has humbled them. They will fade away like a little flower in the field.G1161G4145G1722G846G5014G3754G5613G438G5528G392811The hot sun rises and the grass withers; the little flower droops and falls, and its beauty fades away. In the same way, the rich will fade away with all of their achievements.G1063G2246G393G4862G2742G2532G3583G5528G2532G438G846G1601G2532G2143G4383G846G622G3779G2532G3133G4145G3133G1722G846G419712God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.G3107G435G3739G5278G3986G3754G1384G1096G2983G4735G2222G3739G2962G1861G25G84613And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, "God is tempting me." God is never tempted to do wrong

, and he never tempts anyone else.G3004G3367G3004G3985G3754G3985G575G2316G1063G2316G551G2076G2556G1161G3985G846G3985G376214Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away.G1161G1538G3985G1828G5259G2398G1939G2532G118515These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.G1534G1939G4815G5088G266G1161G266G658G616G228816So don't be misled, my dear brothers and sisters.G4105G3361G4105G3450G27G8017Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens

. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.G3956G18G1394G2532G3956G5046G1434G2076G509G2597G575G3962G5457G3844G3739G1762G3756G3883G2228G644G515718He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession

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Listening and Doing

19Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.G5620G3450G27G80G2077G3956G444G2077G5036G1519G191G1021G1519G2980G1021G1519G370920Human anger

does not produce the righteousness God desires.G1063G3709G435G2716G3756G1343G231621So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.G1352G659G3956G4507G2532G4050G2549G1209G1722G4240G1721G3056G3588G1410G4982G5216G559022But don't just listen to God's word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.G1161G1096G4163G3056G2532G3361G202G3440G3884G143823For if you listen to the word and don't obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror.G3754G1536G2076G202G3056G2532G3756G4163G3778G1503G435G2657G846G1078G4383G1722G207224You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like.G1063G2657G1438G2532G565G2532G2112G1950G3697G225825But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don't forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.G1161G3879G1519G5046G3551G1657G2532G3887G3778G1096G3756G1953G202G235G4163G2041G3778G2071G3107G1722G846G416226If you claim to be religious but don't control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless.G1536G1722G5213G1380G1511G2357G5468G3361G846G1100G235G538G846G2588G5127G2356G315227Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.G2513G2356G2532G283G3844G2316G2532G3962G2076G3778G1980G3737G2532G5503G1722G846G2347G5083G1438G784G575G2889