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- JAMES:
-
-
- CHAPTER 1
-
-
- 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.
-
-
- CHAPTER 2
-
-
- 1. 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.
-
-
- CHAPTER 3
-
-
- 1. 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, 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.
-
-
- CHAPTER 4
-
-
- 1. 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.
-
-
- CHAPTER 5
-
-
- 1. 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 him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be
- forgiven him.
-
- 16. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for
- another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a
- righteous man availeth much.
-
- 17. Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he
- prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the
- earth by the space of three years and six months.
-
- 18. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth
- brought forth her fruit.
-
- 19. Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one
- convert him;
-
- 20. Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the
- error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a
- multitude of sins.
-