| 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. |
| For you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. | Because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. |
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| 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. |
| 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. |
| Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the 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 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. | 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. Even the demons believe—and shudder! | You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. |
| For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. | 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 blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. | Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. |
| Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness 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 will be disorder and every vile practice. | 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 peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. | 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 a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. | Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness. |
| You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet 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 adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes 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 yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. | Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. |
