James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes in the dispersion, greeting. Account it all joy, my brothers, when you fall into various trials, knowing that the trial of your faith produces patience. But let patience have a perfect work, that you may be perfect and entire, lacking in nothing. And if any one of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and upbraids not, and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, not doubting; for he that doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven with the wind and agitated. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing from the Lord, a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. But let the brother that is humble rejoice in his exaltation, and the rich in his humiliation, for he shall pass away like a flower of the grass. For the sun rose hot, and withered the grass, and its flower fell off, and the beauty of its appearance perished; so also shall the rich man perish in his ways.

Blessed is the man who endures trial, for when proved he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord promised to those who love him. Let no tempted one say, I am tempted by God; for God is not subject to temptation by evils, and he tempts no one. But every one is tempted when he is drawn away by his desires, and enticed; then the desire taking effect produces sin, and sin being finished brings forth death.

Be not deceived, my beloved brothers. All good giving, and every perfect gift, comes down from above, from the Father of lights, with whom there is no change or shadow of turning. Of his own will begat he us by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruit of his creatures.

Understand, my beloved brothers, and let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for man's anger performs not God's righteousness. Wherefore, laying aside all filthiness and abounding vice, receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if any one is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man perceiving his natural face in a glass; for he perceived himself, and went away, and immediately forgot what kind of a man he was. But he that looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, not being a forgetful hearer but a doer of work, he shall be blessed in his doing. But if any one among you thinks he is religious, and bridles not his tongue, but deceives his mind, that man's religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled with the God and Father is this, to visit the orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep one's self unspotted from the world.

My brothers, have not the faith of our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with a respect of persons. For if there comes into your assembly a man with a gold ring, in splendid clothing, and there also comes in a poor man in vile clothing, and you look upon him who wears the splendid clothing, and say to him, Sit here in a good place, and say to the poor man, Stand there, or sit under my footstool, are you not condemned in yourselves and judges of evil thoughts?

Hear, my beloved brothers. Has not God chosen the poor of the world rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to those who love him? But you dishonor the poor. Do not the rich oppress you and drag you to tribunals? And do they not blaspheme the good name by which you are called? If you keep indeed the royal law according to the Scripture, You shall love your neighbor as yourself, you do well; but if you respect persons, you commit sin, convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever shall keep the whole law, and offend in one point, is guilty of all. For he that said, You shall not commit

adultery, said also, You shall not kill; and if you do not commit adultery, but kill, you are a transgressor of the law. So speak and so do, as being about to be judged by the law of liberty. For he shall have judgment without mercy who shows not mercy; mercy rejoices over judgment.

What is the profit, my brothers, if a man says he has faith, but has not works? Can faith save him? And if a brother or sister is naked, or destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, Go in peace, be warmed and be filled, but gives them not the necessary supplies for the body, what is the profit? So also faith, if it has not works, is dead, being alone. But some one will say, You have faith, and I have works; show me your faith without works, and I will show you my faith by works. You believe that there is one God? You do well; demons also believe and tremble. But will you know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? You see that faith cooperated with his works, and by works was faith made perfect, and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, And Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him a righteousness, and he was called God's friend. You see then that a man is justified by works and not by faith only. And in like manner also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? For as the body without a spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

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