Greeting and Joy in Trials
Study note
James identifies himself as a servant of God and of Jesus Christ, writing to Jewish believers dispersed throughout the Roman world. He immediately encourages them to view their many trials as opportunities for joy, because the testing of faith develops endurance, and endurance leads to spiritual completeness.
1 This letter is from James, who serves God and the Lord Jesus Christ. I am writing to all of God's people who are scattered across many places. Hello! James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.
2 My brothers and sisters, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
Asking God for Wisdom
Study note
James offers one of Scripture's most direct promises: anyone lacking wisdom should ask God, who gives generously and without finding fault. However, the request must be made in genuine faith. The doubter is compared to an ocean wave, unstable and tossed about, and should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.
5 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 lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
6 But when you ask, truly trust that God will answer. Do not go back and forth about it. A person who keeps changing their mind is like an ocean wave that gets pushed around by the wind. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
7 That kind of person should not expect to get anything from the Lord. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
8 Someone who cannot make up their mind will be shaky and unsettled in everything they do. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
The Rich and the Lowly
Study note
James addresses social disparity among believers. The brother in humble circumstances should take pride in his exalted spiritual position, while the rich should recognize the temporary nature of wealth. Like a wildflower scorched by the sun, material prosperity fades quickly.
9 If you are a believer who does not have much, be glad. God has given you a high place in his kingdom. Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:
10 And if you are wealthy, be happy that God has shown you what truly matters. Rich people will disappear like wildflowers in a field. But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.
11 When the hot sun beats down, the grass dries up and its flowers drop off. All that beauty is gone. The same thing happens to wealthy people right in the middle of their busy lives. For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.
Enduring Temptation
Study note
James distinguishes between trials that test faith and temptations that lure toward sin. God cannot be tempted by evil and tempts no one; instead, temptation arises from a person's own desires, which conceive sin and ultimately produce death. In contrast, every good and perfect gift comes from the unchanging Father of lights, who chose to give believers new birth through the word of truth.
12 Great things are waiting for the person who keeps going through hard times. After they have proven themselves, God will give them the crown of life that he promised to everyone who loves him. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
13 When you feel pulled toward doing wrong, never say, "God is making me do this." God is never tempted to do evil, and he never pushes anyone toward it. Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
14 Instead, you get pulled into temptation by your own wishes and cravings that drag you along. But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
15 Those cravings, once they take root, lead to sin. And sin, once it has fully grown, leads to death. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
16 So do not be tricked, my dear brothers and sisters. Do not err, my beloved brethren.
17 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 good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
18 He chose to give us new life through his true message. He wanted us to be an important part of everything he has made. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
Hearing and Doing the Word
Study note
James instructs believers to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger, because human anger does not produce God's righteousness. He commands them to receive God's implanted word with humility and then act on it. Anyone who hears the word but does not do it is like a person who glances in a mirror and immediately forgets what they look like. True blessing comes from looking into the perfect law of liberty and persevering in obedience.
19 Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters, let everyone be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
20 Getting angry does not help you live the life God wants. For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
21 So get rid of every dirty thing and all the evil in your life. Open your heart and accept the message God has planted inside you. That message has the power to save you. Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
23 Anyone who only listens but does not act is like someone who looks at their face in a mirror, For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
24 walks away, and right away forgets what they looked like. For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
25 But someone might look closely at God's perfect teaching that sets people free. They stick with it. They do not forget it. They act on it. That person will be blessed in all they do. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
True Religion Defined
Study note
James concludes the chapter with a sharp test of genuine faith. A person who claims to be religious but cannot control their tongue deceives themselves. Pure and undefiled religion before God means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and keeping oneself unstained by the world.
26 If someone thinks they are very religious but does not control what they say, they are fooling themselves. Their religion means nothing. If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.
27 The religion that God the Father sees as pure and real is this: take care of children who have lost their parents and widows who are hurting. And do not let the world's ways rub off on you. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.