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The General Epistle of
James
1
  Chapter recording
List of all recordings of KJV
1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.
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1
1 From James, a servant of God and of our Lord Jesus Christ. 
Greetings to the twelve tribes scattered all over the world.  a 1.1 twelve tribes scattered all over the world: James is saying that the Lord's followers are like the tribes of Israel that were scattered everywhere by their enemies.
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2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; temptation: or, trials
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Faith and Wisdom
2 My friends, be glad, even if you have a lot of trouble. 1.2 Ws 3.5
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3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
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3 You know that you learn to endure by having your faith tested.
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4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
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4 But you must learn to endure everything, so that you will be completely mature and not lacking in anything.
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5 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.
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5 If any of you need wisdom, you should ask God, and it will be given to you. God is generous and won't correct you for asking. 1.5 Ws 8.21; Si 51.13
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6 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.
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6 But when you ask for something, you must have faith and not doubt. Anyone who doubts is like an ocean wave tossed around in a storm.
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7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
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7-8 If you are that kind of person, you can't make up your mind, and you surely can't be trusted. So don't expect the Lord to give you anything at all.
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8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
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9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted: rejoice: or, glory
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Poor People and Rich People
9 Any of God's people who are poor should be glad that he thinks so highly of them.
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10 But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.
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10 But any who are rich should be glad when God makes them humble. Rich people will disappear like wild flowers
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11 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.
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11 scorched by the burning heat of the sun. The flowers lose their blossoms, and their beauty is destroyed. That is how the rich will disappear, as they go about their business.
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12 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.
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Trials and Temptations
12 God will bless you, if you don't give up when your faith is being tested. He will reward you with a glorious life, b 1.12 a glorious life: The Greek text has “the crown of life.” In ancient times an athlete who had won a contest was rewarded with a crown of flowers as a sign of victory. just as he rewards everyone who loves him.
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13 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: evil: or, evils
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13 Don't blame God when you are tempted! God cannot be tempted by evil, and he doesn't use evil to tempt others.
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14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
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14 We are tempted by our own desires that drag us off and trap us.
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15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
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15 Our desires make us sin, and when sin is finished with us, it leaves us dead.
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16 Do not err, my beloved brethren.
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16 Don't be fooled, my dear friends.
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17 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.
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17 Every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father who created all the lights in the heavens. He is always the same and never makes dark shadows by changing.
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18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
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18 He wanted us to be his own special people, c 1.18 his own special people: The Greek text has “the first of his creatures.” The Law of Moses taught that the first-born of all animals and the first part of the harvest were special and belonged to the Lord. and so he sent the true message to give us new birth.
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19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
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Hearing and Obeying
19 My dear friends, you should be quick to listen and slow to speak or to get angry.
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20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
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20 If you are angry, you cannot do any of the good things that God wants done.
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21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
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21 You must stop doing anything immoral or evil. Instead be humble and accept the message that is planted in you to save you.
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22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
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22 Obey God's message! Don't fool yourselves by just listening to it.
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23 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:
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23 If you hear the message and don't obey it, you are like people who stare at themselves in a mirror
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24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
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24 and forget what they look like as soon as they leave.
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25 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. deed: or, doing
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25 But you must never stop looking at the perfect law that sets you free. God will bless you in everything you do, if you listen and obey, and don't just hear and forget.
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26 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.
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26 If you think you are being religious, but can't control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and everything you do is useless.
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27 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.
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27 Religion that pleases God the Father must be pure and spotless. You must help needy orphans and widows and not let this world make you evil.
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© 1999 American Bible Society |
