may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. 5 But 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. 6 But let him ask in faith, without
any doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven by the wind
and tossed. 7 For let that man not think that he will receive anything
from the Lord. 8 He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
9 But let the brother in humble circumstances glory in his high position;
10 and the rich, in that he is made humble, because like the flower in the
grass, he will pass away. 11 For the sun arises with the scorching wind,
and withers the grass, and the flower in it falls, and the beauty of its
appearance perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in his pursuits.
12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation, for when he has been
approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord promised to those
who love him. 13 Let no man say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God,”
for God can’t be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But
each one is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed.
15 Then the lust, when it has conceived, bears sin; and the sin, when it
is full grown, brings forth death. 16 Don’t be deceived, my beloved
brothers. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming
down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, nor turning
shadow. 18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that
we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.
19 So, then, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to
speak, and slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man doesn’t produce the
righteousness of God. 21 Therefore, putting away all filthiness and
overflowing of wickedness, receive with humility the implanted word, which is
able to save your souls. 22 But be doers of the word, and not only
hearers, deluding your own selves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the
word and not a doer, he is like a man beholding his natural face in a mirror;
24 for he sees himself, and goes away, and immediately forgets what kind
of man he was. 25 But he who looks into the perfect law, the law of
freedom, and continues, not being a hearer who forgets but a doer of the
work, this man will be blessed in what he does.
26 If anyone among you thinks himself to be religious while he doesn’t
bridle his tongue, but deceives his heart, this man’s religion is worthless.
27 Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this: to visit
the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained
by the world.
1 The word for “brothers” here and where context allows may
also be correctly translated “brothers and sisters” or “siblings.”
World English Bible - Public Domain