James 1

1 James [bondservant], a servant [slave] of God [the one true deity] and of the Lord [Master] Jesus [Joshua, God is salvation] Christ [the Anointed], To the twelve tribes [clans] of the Dispersion [scattered abroad] [living in Gentile countries]: Greetings [to rejoice]. word study 2 Consider [count, think of] it pure joy [exceeding joy, deep happiness], my brothers [fellow believers, brethren], when you encounter [fall into, experience] trials [temptations, tests] of many [various, diverse] kinds [types, situations], word study 3 because you know [are aware, have understanding] that the testing [trying, proving] of your faith [trust, confidence in God] develops [produces, works out] perseverance [endurance, patience, steadfastness]. word study 4 Allow perseverance [patient endurance, steadfastness] to finish its work [to complete its task, to have its full effect], so that you may be mature [perfect, complete, fully grown] and complete [whole, entire, lacking no essential part], not lacking [wanting, needing] anything [nothing, no essential quality]. word study 5 Now if any of you [lacks spiritual understanding] lacks wisdom [higher or spiritual understanding], he should ask [request, petition] God [the one true deity], who gives [bestows, grants] generously [without reserve, liberally] to all [every person, everyone] without finding fault [not reproaching, without upbraiding], and it will be given [granted, bestowed] to him. word study 6 But he must ask [in trust, with confidence] in faith [trust and confidence in God], without doubting [nothing wavering, no uncertainty], because he who doubts [is uncertain, has no faith] is like a wave [surge, movement] of the sea [large body of water], blown [driven, tossed] and tossed [agitated, disturbed] by the wind [air in motion]. word study 7 That man [a human, a person] should not [not at all] expect [suppose, think] to receive [take, accept] anything [something, a thing] from [beside or with] the Lord [God, the Master] [the One in authority]. word study 8 He is a double-minded [divided in his thoughts, uncertain] man [adult male, husband], unstable [restless, unsteady] in all [every, everything] his ways [roads, paths]. word study 9 The brother [fellow Christian, male sibling] in humble [lowly] circumstances [position, condition] should exult [rejoice, glory] in his high [elevated, lofty] position [estate, spiritual standing]. word study 10 But the one who is [spiritually or materially] rich should exult [rejoice, boast] in his [state of] low position [lowliness, humility], because he will pass away [vanish, fade] like a flower [transient, fleeting] of the field [the grass, earthly possessions]. word study 11 For the sun [with scorching heat, rises with a burning heat] rises with scorching heat [or a hot wind] and withers [dries up, causes to perish] the plant [grass, herbage]; its flower [blossom, beautiful appearance] falls and its beauty [goodly appearance, attractiveness] is lost [perishes, fades away]. So too, the rich man [wealthy person, one with many possessions] will fade away [withers, loses strength] in the midst of his pursuits [ways, journeys, life path]. word study 12 Blessed [happy, supremely fortunate] is the man [adult male, husband] who perseveres [remains, endures patiently] under trial [temptation, testing], because when he has stood [remained, endured] the test [temptation, proving], he will receive [take, accept] the crown [wreath, garland] of life [eternal, spiritual existence] that God [the Lord, supreme authority] has promised [professed, announced] to those who love [show esteem, goodwill towards] Him [the divine nature, God’s character]. word study 13 When tempted [tested, tried by evil], no one should say, “God [the supreme Deity, Creator] is tempting [testing, luring] me.” For God cannot be tempted [is untemptable, immune to evil] by evil [wickedness, harm], nor does He tempt [lure, entice] anyone [no person, nobody]. word study 14 But each one [every individual, every person] is tempted [tested, tried] when by his own [private, personal] evil desires [lust, sinful longings] he is lured away [drawn out, enticed] and enticed [deceived, led astray]. word study 15 Then after desire [strong longing, lust] has conceived [seized, taken hold], it gives birth to sin [missing the mark, rebellion]; and sin [rebellion, lawlessness], when it is full-grown [mature, complete], gives birth to death [separation, eternal destruction]. word study 16 Do not [be misled, err] be deceived [led astray, turned from the right way], my beloved [dear] brothers [brethren, fellow believers]. word study 17 Every [all, without exception] good [beneficial, morally excellent] and perfect [complete, mature] gift [free gift, act of giving] is from above [from heaven, from a higher source], coming down [descending, being given] from the Father [the heavenly Father, the Creator] of the heavenly lights [the celestial bodies, the sources of light], with whom [in His nature, in His character] there is no [absolutely none] change [variation, alteration] or shifting [fleeting, temporary] shadow [darkness, obscurity]. word study 18 He chose [of his own will, deliberately] to give us birth [brought us forth, begat us] through the word [Logos, message] of truth [reality, authenticity], that we would be [exist as, become] a kind of [in a sense, a type of] firstfruits [the beginning of a harvest, the first produce] of His creation [all His creatures, the things He made]. word study 19 My beloved [dearly loved, cherished] brothers, understand this: Everyone [all people, every individual] should be quick [swift, prompt] to listen [to hear and obey], slow [cautious, not hasty] to speak [to utter words], and slow [slow to express, not quick-tempered] to anger [wrath, strong displeasure], word study 20 for man’s [human, adult male] anger [wrath, strong displeasure] does not bring about [produce, accomplish] the righteousness [living according to God’s will, being in right standing] that God [the one true deity] desires [wants, is pleased with]. word study 21 Therefore [as a consequence, for this reason], get rid of [putting away, laying apart] all moral filth [dirty behavior, uncleanness] and every expression [overflowing, superfluity] of evil [wickedness, naughtiness], and humbly [with meekness, in gentleness] accept the word [implanted, engrafted] planted in you, which can [is able, has the power] save your souls [inner beings, hearts]. word study 22 Be [become, come into being] doers [those who obey, put into practice] of the word [Logos, the divine message], and not [merely] hearers [listeners, those who only pay attention] only [alone, to the exclusion of action] [deceiving, deluding]. Otherwise [if not, lest], you are [will be, become] deceiving [misleading, blinding] yourselves [your own selves, spiritually]. word study 23 For anyone who hears [listens carefully to, pays attention to] the word [message, divine instruction] but does not carry it out [put it into practice, obey] is like a man [human being, person] who looks at [observes, gazes at] his face [countenance, appearance] in a mirror [reflection, glass], word study 24 and after [carefully, thoughtfully] observing [considering, taking note of] himself [themself, their own person] goes away [departs, leaves] and immediately [at once, right away] forgets [neglects, loses memory of] what [the kind, the sort] he looks like [what manner of man he was, his appearance]. word study 25 But the one who looks intently [with careful attention, to stoop and peer] into the perfect [complete, mature] law of freedom [liberty, release from bondage], and continues [remains, perseveres] to do so—not being a forgetful [neglectful, prone to overlooking] hearer, but an effective [active, obedient] doer [one who performs, accomplishes]—he will be blessed [happy, supremely fortunate] in what he does [his actions, deeds]. word study 26 If anyone considers [thinks, supposes] himself [to be] religious [devout, pious] and yet does not bridle [restrain, control] his tongue [the organ of speech, language], he deceives [tricks, misleads] his heart [the seat of thoughts, feelings] and his religion [external practices of worship, ceremonies] is [proves to be] worthless [futile, empty, vain]. word study 27 Pure [clean, undefiled, and holy] and undefiled [spotless, without blemish] religion [external practices of worship] before our God [the one true deity, our Father] and Father is this: to care for [visit, look after] orphans [children who have lost their parents] and widows [women who have lost their husbands] in their distress [affliction, tribulation], and to keep oneself [themself, personally] from being polluted [contaminated, stained] by the world [the earthly realm, human society]. word study