Because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. | Knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. |
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. | But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. |
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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. | But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. |
Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position. But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower. | Now the brother or sister of humble circumstances is to glory in his high position; but the rich person is to glory in his humiliation, because like flowering grass he will pass away. |
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. | Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. |
When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone. | No one is to say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. |
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. | Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. |
He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. | In the exercise of His will He gave us birth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures. |
My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. | You know this, my beloved brothers and sisters. Now everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger. |
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. | Therefore, ridding yourselves of all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. |
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. | But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not just hearers who deceive themselves. |
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. | But one who has looked intently at the perfect law, the law of freedom, and has continued in it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an active doer, this person will be blessed in what he does. |
Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. | If anyone thinks himself to be religious, yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this person’s religion is worthless. |
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. | Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world. |