| In the same way, faith also, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. | In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. |
| You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. | You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. |
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| For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to rein in the whole body as well. | We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check. |
| From the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, these things should not be this way. | Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. |
| Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. | Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. |
| For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. | For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. |
| But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial, free of hypocrisy. | But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. |
| And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. | Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness. |
| You lust and do not have, so you commit murder. And you are envious and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. | You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. |
| You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. | You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. |
| Submit therefore to God. But resist the devil, and he will flee from you. | Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. |
| Come close to God and He will come close to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. | Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. |
| Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you. | Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. |
| There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy; but who are you, judging your neighbor? | There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor? |
| But above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath; but your yes is to be yes, and your no, no, so that you do not fall under judgment. | Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple “Yes” or “No.” Otherwise you will be condemned. |
| Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. | Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. |
| Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. A prayer of a righteous person, when it is brought about, can accomplish much. | Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. |
| Knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. | Because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. |
| 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. | 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 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone. |
| 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. | Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. |
| 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. | He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. |
