| New International Version | Berean Study Bible |
| 1James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings. | 1James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes of the Dispersion: Greetings. |
| 2Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, | 2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds, |
| 3because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. | 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. |
| 4Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. | 4Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. |
| 5If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. | 5Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. |
| 6But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. | 6But he must ask in faith, without doubting, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. |
| 7That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. | 7That man should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. |
| 8Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do. | 8He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. |
| 9Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position. | 9The brother in humble circumstances should exult in his high position. |
| 10But the rich should take pride in their humiliation--since they will pass away like a wild flower. | 10But the one who is rich should exult in his low position, because he will pass away like a flower of the field. |
| 11For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich will fade away even while they go about their business. | 11For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its flower falls and its beauty is lost. So too, the rich man will fade away in the midst of his pursuits. |
| 12Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. | 12Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him. |
| 13When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; | 13When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone. |
| 14but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. | 14But each one is tempted when by his own evil desires he is lured away and enticed. |
| 15Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. | 15Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. |
| 16Don't be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. | 16Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. |
| 17Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. | 17Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, with whom there is no change or shifting shadow. |
| 18He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. | 18He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we would be a kind of firstfruits of His creation. |
| 19My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, | 19My beloved brothers, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger, |
| 20because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. | 20for man’s anger does not bring about the righteousness that God desires. |
| 21Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. | 21Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and every expression of evil, and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save your souls. |
| 22Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. | 22Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves. |
| 23Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror | 23For anyone who hears the word but does not carry it out is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror, |
| 24and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. | 24and after observing himself goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. |
| 25But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it--not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it--they will be blessed in what they do. | 25But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom, and continues to do so—not being a forgetful hearer, but an effective doer—he will be blessed in what he does. |
| 26Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. | 26If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not bridle his tongue, he deceives his heart and his religion is worthless. |
| 27Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. | 27Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. |
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