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Chapter 1

I will consider it pure joy whenever I face trials of many kinds, because I know that the testing of my faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that I may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If I lack wisdom, I should ask God, who gives generously to me without finding fault, and it will be given to me But when I ask, I must believe and not doubt, because if I doubt I am like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. I should not think I will receive anything from the Lord; because I would be a double-minded man, unstable in all I do.

 

If I am in humble circumstances I ought to take pride in my high position (loved by God). But if I am rich I should take pride in my low position (a frail human), because I will pass away like a wild flower. For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, if I am rich I will fade away even while I go about my business.

 

Blessed I will be if I persevere under trial, because when I have stood the test, I will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

 

When tempted, I should not say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but I will be tempted when, by my own evil desire, I am dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

 

I must not be deceived. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give me birth through the word of truth, that I might be a kind of first fruits of all he created.

 

I must take note of this: I should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for my anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. Therefore, I must get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent, and humbly accept the word planted in me, which can save me.

 

I must not merely listen to the word, and so deceive myself. I must do what it says. If I listen to the word but do not do what it says I am like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at myself, go away and immediately forget what I look like. But if I look intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continue to do this, not forgetting what I have heard, but doing it--I will be blessed in what I do.

 

If I consider myself religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on my tongue, I deceive myself and my religion is worthless. Religion that God my Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep myself from being polluted by the world

  

Chapter 2

As a believer in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, I mustn't show favoritism. Suppose a man comes into our meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. If I show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, "Here's a good seat for you," but say to the poor man, "You stand there" or "Sit on the floor by my feet," have I not discriminated among ourselves and become a judge with evil thoughts?

 

I must listen to this: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? But I have insulted the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting me? Are they not the ones who are dragging me into court? Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom I belong?

 

If I really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself," I am doing right. But if I show favoritism, I sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. For he who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." If I do not commit adultery but do commit murder, I have become a lawbreaker.

 

I must speak and act as one who is going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!

What good is it if I claim to have faith but have no deeds? Can such faith save me? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If I say to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but do nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But I might say, "You have faith; I have deeds."

You reply, Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that--and shudder.

 

Do I want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? I see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God's friend. I see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.

 

In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

   

Chapter 3

 

Not many of us should presume to be teachers, because I know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.

 

When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

 

All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. I know this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? Can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

 

Who is wise and understanding among us? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if I harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in my heart, I must not boast about it or deny the truth. Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where we have envy and selfish ambition, there we find disorder and every evil practice.

But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.

   

     

Chapter 4

What causes fights and quarrels among us? Don't they come from my desires that battle within me? I want something but don't get it. We kill and covet, but we cannot have what we want. We quarrel and fight. We do not have, because we do not ask God. When I ask, I do not receive, because I ask with wrong motives, that I may spend what I get on my pleasures.

 

I should know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do I think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely? But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."

I must submit myself, then, to God. I must resist the devil, and he will flee from me. I will come near to God and he will come near to me. We must wash our hands, we sinners, and purify our hearts, when we are double-minded. If that is us we need to grieve, mourn and wail. If that is us we need to change our laughter to mourning and our joy to gloom. If that is us we must humble ourselves before the Lord, and he will lift us up.

 

We must not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When I judge the law, I am not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But me -- who am I to judge my neighbor?

 

If I say, "Today or tomorrow I will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money," why, I do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is my life? I am a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, I ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, I will live and do this or that." As it is, I sometimes boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. If I know the good I ought to do and don't do it, I sin.

   

    

Chapter 5

Now we must take note, those of us who are rich people; be ready to weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon us. Our wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten our clothes. Our gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against us and eat our flesh like fire. We have hoarded wealth in the last days. Look! The wages we failed to pay the workmen who mowed our fields are crying out against us. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. We have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. We have fattened ourselves in the day of slaughter. We have condemned and murdered innocent men, who were not opposing us.

We must be patient, then, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. We too, must be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near. I mustn't grumble against others, or I will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!

 

I must consider, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. As I know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. I have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

 

Above all, I must not swear--not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let my "Yes" be yes, and my "No," no, or I will be condemned.

 

Is any one of us in trouble? If it's me, I should pray. Is anyone happy? If it's me, I will sing songs of praise. Is any one of us sick? If it's me I should call the elders of the church to pray over me and anoint me with oil in the name of the Lord, and the prayer offered in faith will make me, the sick person, well; the Lord will raise me up. If I have sinned, I will be forgiven. Therefore we should confess our sins to each other and pray for each other so that we may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

 

Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.

If one of us should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, we need to remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.