James 1 Parallel Bible Translations

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1 James, a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve [Hebrew] tribes [scattered abroad among the Gentiles] in the dispersion: Greetings (rejoice)! James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings. James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings.
2 Consider it nothing but joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you fall into various trials. Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,
3 Be assured that the testing of your faith [through experience] produces endurance [leading to spiritual maturity, and inner peace]. for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.
4 And let endurance have its perfect result and do a thorough work, so that you may be perfect and completely developed [in your faith], lacking in nothing. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
5 If any of you lacks wisdom [to guide him through a decision or circumstance], he is to ask of [our benevolent] God, who gives to everyone generously and without rebuke or blame, and it will be given to him. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.
6 But he must ask [for wisdom] in faith, without doubting [God’s willingness to help], for the one who doubts is like a billowing surge of the sea that is blown about and tossed by the wind. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. But 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.
7 For such a person ought not to think or expect that he will receive anything [at all] from the Lord, For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.
8 being a double-minded man, unstable and restless in all his ways [in everything he thinks, feels, or decides]. he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.
9 Let the brother in humble circumstances glory in his high position [as a born-again believer, called to the true riches and to be an heir of God]; Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position.
10 and the rich man is to glory in being humbled [by trials revealing human frailty, knowing true riches are found in the grace of God], for like the flower of the grass he will pass away. and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower.
11 For the sun rises with a scorching wind and withers the grass; its flower falls off and its beauty fades away; so too will the rich man, in the midst of his pursuits, fade away. For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits. For 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.
12 Blessed [happy, spiritually prosperous, favored by God] is the man who is steadfast under trial and perseveres when tempted; for when he has passed the test and been approved, he will receive the [victor’s] crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. Blessed 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.
13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God” [for temptation does not originate from God, but from our own flaws]; for God cannot be tempted by [what is] evil, and He Himself tempts no one. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone;
14 But each one is tempted when he is dragged away, enticed and baited [to commit sin] by his own [worldly] desire (lust, passion). But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.
15 Then when the illicit desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin has run its course, it gives birth to death. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
16 Do not be misled, my beloved brothers and sisters. Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters.
17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above; it comes down from the Father of lights [the Creator and Sustainer of the heavens], in whom there is no variation [no rising or setting] or shadow cast by His turning [for He is perfect and never changes]. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
18 It was of His own will that He gave us birth [as His children] by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits of His creatures [a prime example of what He created to be set apart to Himself—sanctified, made holy for His divine purposes]. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.
19 Understand this, my beloved brothers and sisters. Let everyone be quick to hear [be a careful, thoughtful listener], slow to speak [a speaker of carefully chosen words and], slow to anger [patient, reflective, forgiving]; Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,
20 for the [resentful, deep-seated] anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God [that standard of behavior which He requires from us]. for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.
21 So get rid of all uncleanness and all that remains of wickedness, and with a humble spirit receive the word [of God] which is implanted [actually rooted in your heart], which is able to save your souls. Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. Therefore, 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.
22 But prove yourselves doers of the word [actively and continually obeying God’s precepts], and not merely listeners [who hear the word but fail to internalize its meaning], deluding yourselves [by unsound reasoning contrary to the truth]. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
23 For if anyone only listens to the word without obeying it, he is like a man who looks very carefully at his natural face in a mirror; For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror
24 for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he immediately forgets what he looked like. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.
25 But he who looks carefully into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and faithfully abides by it, not having become a [careless] listener who forgets but an active doer [who obeys], he will be blessed and favored by God in what he does [in his life of obedience]. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. But 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.
26 If anyone thinks himself to be religious [scrupulously observant of the rituals of his faith], and does not control his tongue but deludes his own heart, this person’s religion is worthless (futile, barren). If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.
27 Pure and unblemished religion [as it is expressed in outward acts] in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit and look after the fatherless and the widows in their distress, and to keep oneself uncontaminated by the [secular] world. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world. Religion 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.
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