Because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. | For you know that the testing of your faith will develop perseverance. |
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. | If someone among you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without finding fault, 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 is to ask with faith, without doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed about 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. | The brother who is in modest circumstances should take pride in being raised up. Likewise, the one who is rich should glory in being brought low, for he will disappear like a flower of the field. |
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 the man who perseveres when he is tempted, for when he has been proven, he will receive the crown of life that 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. | While experiencing temptation, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one. |
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 act of giving and every perfect gift are from above, coming down from the Father of all light. With him there is no alteration or shadow caused by change. |
He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. | By his own choice he gave us birth through the way of truth so that we may be a kind of firstfruits of all his creation. |
My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. | Remember this, my beloved brethren: everyone should be quick to listen but 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, rid yourselves of everything sordid and of every wicked excess, and welcome in all humility the word that is implanted in you and is able to save your souls. |
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. | Be doers of the word and not just hearers who only 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. | However, the one who looks intently at the perfect law of freedom and perseveres—not forgetting what he has heard but putting it into practice—will be blessed in everything 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 that he is religious but does not restrain his tongue, he is deceiving himself, and his 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. | Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and undefiled is this: to come to the aid of orphans and widows in their hardships and to keep oneself untarnished by the world. |