He exhorts to rejoice in trouble, to be fervent in prayer with steadfast belief, to look for all good things from above, to forsake all vice, and thankfully to receive the word of God, not only hearing it and speaking of it, but to do thereafter in deed. True religion or devotion: what it is.
1 James, the servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, sends greeting to the twelve tribes which are scattered here and there.
2 My brethren, count it exceeding joy when you fall into various trials, 3 seeing as you know that the trying of your faith brings patience. 4 And let patience have her perfect work, so that you may be perfect and sound, lacking nothing.
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all impartially, and casts no man in the teeth, and it shall be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, and waver not. For he who doubts is like the waves of the sea, tossed with the wind and carried about. 7 Neither let that person think that he will receive anything from the Lord. 8 A wavering-minded man is unstable in all his ways.
9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted, 10 and the rich in that he is made low. For like the flower of the grass, he will vanish away. 11 The sun rises with heat, and the grass withers, and its flower falls away, and the beauty of the appearance of it perishes; even so shall the rich man perish with his abundance.
12 Happy is the man who endures in temptation, for when he is proved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love him.
13 Let no one say when he is tempted, that he is tempted by God. For God tempts not to evil, nor does he tempt anyone, 14 but every person is tempted, drawn away, and enticed by his own fleshly nature and evil desire. 15 Then when desire has conceived, she brings forth sin, and sin when it is full-grown brings forth death.
16 Do not be mistaken, my dear brethren. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of light, with whom is no variableness nor turning to darkness. 18 Of his own will he begat us with the word of life, that we should be the first fruits of his creatures.
19 Therefore, dear brethren, let everyone be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger. 20 For the wrath of man does not work that which is righteous before God. 21 Therefore lay apart all uncleanness, and all lingering evil and vice, and receive with meekness the word that is grafted in you, which is able to save your souls. 22 And see that you be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves with sophistry. 23 For if anyone hears the word and does it not, he is like a man that looks at his bodily face in a mirror. 24 For as soon as he has looked at himself, he goes his way and forgets immediately what his appearance was. 25 But whoever looks in the perfect law of liberty and continues in it (if he is not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work), this one shall be happy in his deed.
26 If anyone among you seems devout, yet refrains not his tongue, but betrays his own heart into mischief, this one’s devotion is in vain. 27 Pure devotion, and undefiled before God the Father, is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their adversity, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.