The General Epistle of James
James 1
JAMES, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve
tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.
2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and
entire, wanting nothing.
5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all
men liberally, 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 driven with the wind and tossed.
7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the
Lord.
8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:
10 But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the
grass he shall pass away.
11 For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth
the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion
of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.
12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried,
he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to
them that love him.
13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for
God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust,
and enticed.
15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin,
when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
16 Do not err, my beloved brethren.
17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh
down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness,
neither shadow of turning.
18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should
be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear,
slow to speak, slow to wrath:
20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness,
and receive with meekness the engrafted 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 any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a
man beholding his natural face in a glass:
24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway
forgetteth what manner of man he was.
25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth
therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this
man shall be blessed in his deed.
26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his
tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.
27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To
visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself
unspotted from the world.
James 2
MY brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of
glory, with respect of persons.
2 For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in
goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;
3 And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say
unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand
thou there, or sit here under my footstool:
4 Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil
thoughts?
5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of
this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath
promised to them that love him?
6 But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and
draw you before the judgment seats?
7 Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are
called?
8 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love
thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:
9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced
of the law as transgressors.
10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one
point, he is guilty of all.
11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill.
Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a
transgressor of the law.
12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of
liberty.
13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no
mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.
14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith,
and have not works? can faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed
and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are
needful to the body; what doth it profit?
17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me
thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my
works.
19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest 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, when he had
offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was
faith made perfect?
23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed
God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was
called the Friend of God.
24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith
only.
25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when
she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works
is dead also.
James 3
MY brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the
greater condemnation.
2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word,
the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.
3 Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us;
and we turn about their whole body.
4 Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are
driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small
helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.
5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things.
Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue
among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on
fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of
things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:
8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly
poison.
9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we
men, which are made after the similitude 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 at the same place sweet water and
bitter?
12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine,
figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.
13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let
him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of
wisdom.
14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not,
and lie not against the truth.
15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual,
devilish.
16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil
work.
17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, JAMES
gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits,
without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make
peace.
James 4
FROM whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not
hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?
2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot
obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may
consume it upon your lusts.
4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of
the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend
of the world is the enemy of God.
5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth
in us lusteth to envy?
6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the
proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will
flee 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 to
mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
11 Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of
his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of 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, who is able to save and to destroy: who art
thou that judgest another?
13 Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such
a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:
14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is
your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then
vanisheth away.
15 For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do
this, or that.
16 But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.
17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him
it is sin.
James 5
GO to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that 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 a
witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have
heaped treasure together for the last days.
4 Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your
fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of
them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of
sabaoth.
5 Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have
nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.
6 Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.
7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord.
Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth,
and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord
draweth nigh.
9 Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned:
behold, the judge standeth before the door.
10 Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of
the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.
11 Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the
patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is
very pitiful, and of tender mercy.
12 But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven,
neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be
yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.
13 Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him
sing psalms.
14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders 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, and the Lord shall raise
