Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. | Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. |
Knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. | Because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. |
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If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. | If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given you. |
But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. | But ask in faith, never doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. |
Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation, but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away. | Let the believer who is lowly boast in being raised up, and the rich in being brought low, because the rich will disappear like a flower in the field. |
Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. | Blessed is anyone who endures temptation. Such a one has stood the test and will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. |
Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. | No one, when tempted, should say, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil and he himself tempts no one. |
Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures. | In fulfillment of his own purpose he gave us birth by the word of truth, so that we would become a kind of first fruits of his creatures. |
So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath. | You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger. |
Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. | Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls. |
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. | But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. |
But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. | But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act—they will be blessed in their doing. |
If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless. | If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless. |
Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. | Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world. |
Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. | So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead. |
You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! | You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder. |
For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. | For all of us make many mistakes. Anyone who makes no mistakes in speaking is perfect, able to keep the whole body in check with a bridle. |
Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. | From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so. |
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. | Who is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom. |
For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. | For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind. |
But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. | But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. |
Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. | And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace. |
You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. | You want something and do not have it; so you commit murder. And you covet something and cannot obtain it; so you engage in disputes and conflicts. You do not have, because you do not ask. |
Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. | Adulterers! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. |
Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. | Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. |