James

Chapter 1

1 James, free-slavea  of God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, unto the twelve tribes which are scattered throughout the nations: Greetings.

2 my brethren, regard it all joy, when you face the various trails, 

3 knowing that the tests of your faith bring forth perseverance. 

4 Therefore let perseverance have her perfect fulfillment, so that you might become morally mature and complete, lacking in no way. 

5 However if any of you lacks wisdom, let them ask God for it, who gives all things generously and without humiliation, and He will lead you unto it. 

6 And let them ask in faith without doubt, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven by the wind and tossed about. 

7 But do not let that person suppose they will receive anything from the Lord. 

8 A person of two spirits is unstable is all their ways. 

9 But the brother who is humble, glories in his high station. 

10 But a rich man in His vanity will be brought low, because just like a shoot of grass he will wither away. 

11 For the sun has risen with a burning heat and withers the vegetation; and its flower falls away and the beauty of its appearance fades; as also will the rich waste away in their ways. 

12 Blessed is the man who withstands temptation; because once he has been proved, he shall receive the crown of life which the Lord has offered unto those who love God.1

13 Let no one being tempted say, “God is tempting me"; for God cannot be tempted to evil, and He tempts no one. 

14 But every man is being tempted, being carried away and entrapped by their own lust. 

15 Furthermore after lust has been conceived, it gives birth to sin; and after its sin has fully grown, it brings forth death. 

16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. 

17 Every act of giving good and every acceptable gift is from above, coming down from the Father of Lights, within whom there is no change, nor the slightest trace of shadow.2

18 It was His will that the Word of Truth be born unto us, so that we would become His first fruits among all His creatures. 

19 Because of this My beloved brethren, but let every man be ready to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger;3

20 because the anger of man, does not cultivate the righteousness of God.4

21 Therefore leave behind all immoral pollution and overbearing wickedness, in humility receive the imparted Word, which has the power to preserve your souls. 

22 And become practitioners of the word, and not only hearers deceiving themselves. 

23 For if anyone hears the word, but is not a practitioner, such as these are like a person beholding the face of their own natural state in a mirror; 

24 for he looked at himself, then departed and immediately forgets about what type of person he was. 

25 But those who focus upon the perfect law of freedom from forced slavery, and perseveres, without being a neglectful hearer but rather a habitual doer, such as these will be blessed in everything they do. 

26 If anyone among you thinks of themselves as being religious, yet does not bridle their tongue but instead deludes their own heart, that person’s religion is worthless.3

27 Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of the one God and Father is this: To care for orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

a. A Christian bond slave, I.E. a slave to God of their own free will - See Deuteronomy 15 and Matthew 20:27 

1. Codex Ephraemi - 400-500 A.D.

2. P23 - 100-200 A.D.

3. The Mt.Sinai Bible - 300-400 A.D.

4. Codex Alexandrinus - 400-500 A.D.

Chapter 2

1 My brothers, do not hold the faith of our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with favoritism unto mankind. 

2 For if a man comes into your assembly wearing a golden ring and fancy clothes, and then a poor man enters in wearing cheap clothing, 3 and you stare at the one wearing the fancy clothing, and you say to him, “Sit here in the place of honor” then you say unto the poor man, “Stand over there, or sit beside my footstool” 

4 are you not then passing judgment among yourselves, thereby you have become judges according to evil thoughts. 

5 Listen, my beloved brethren: did God not choose the poor of the world to be rich in faith and fellow heirs of the kingdom which He has proclaimed unto those who love Him? 

6 But you have dishonored yourself to the poor man. Do the rich not lord their power over you and drag you in the direction of the judgment seat? 

7 Do they not blaspheme the good Name by which you were called? 

8 If however, you fulfill the royal law according to scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself”1 you are doing well.

9 But if you favor mankind, you are committing a sin, to be convicted by the law as transgressors. 

10* For whoever keeps the entire law, but might have fallen in defeat, in regards to the first commandment has become worthy of all punishment.2

11 For the One who commanded, “You shall not commit adultery"3 Also commanded, "You shall not murder”4 However if you do not commit adultery, but you commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.

12 Therefore you are to speak and you are to act accordingly, as those who are going to be judged by the law of freedom from forced slavery. 

13 For the judgment will be merciless unto those who have shown no mercy; therefore mercy triumphs over judgment. 

14 My brethren, what is the benefit if someone says they have faith but has no works? That belief is incapable of saving them. 

15 If a brother or sister is stripped of their livelihood, and lacking daily food, 

16 and one of you says unto them, "Go in peace, stay warm and be filled" Without having provided them the necessities of the body, what was the benefit? 

17 because of this even the faith, if it does not joined with works, by itself is dead. 

18 But if someone were to say, “You have faith, and I have works” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith from my works. 

19 You believe that God is One. You are correct; even the demons believe this, and they tremble. 

20 And you will come to know, you idle5 man, that faith without works is dead.

21 Was not Abraham, our forefather was rendered a good judgment by works when he offered Isaac his son upon the altar? 

22 You see that faith was working together with his works, and by the works, His faith was brought unto maturity; 

23 thus the scripture was fulfilled which states, "And Abrama believed God and it was credited unto him as righteousness"b and he was called a friend of God.  

24 You see that that a man is rendered a good judgment by works and not by simply believing. 

25 And likewise wasn’t Rahab the harlot, also rendered a good judgment by works when she welcomed the messengers and sent them by another road? 

26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.

1. Leviticus 19:18 - P.Heid. IV 290 - 100-200 A.D.

2. Codex Alexandrinus - 400-500 A.D.

3. Exodus 20:14 - Nash Papyrus - 300-200 B.C.

4. Exodus 20:13 - Nash Papyrus - 300-200 B.C.

5. Codex Bezae - 400-500 A.D.

a. Later he becomes Abraham.

b. Genesis 15:6 - Codex Alexandrinus - 400-500 A.D.

Chapter 3

1 My brothers, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we will receive harsher judgment. 

2 For we all stumble in many things, if anyone does not stumble in speech, they are a morally mature person, able to bridle also the whole body. 

3 And if we put a bridle into the mouths of horses so that they will obey us, we also lead their entire body.

4 And look at the ships, though they are so great and pressed forward by strong winds, guided by a small rudder wherever the pilot’s purpose directs. 

5 In like manner the tongue also is a small member, yet it greatly boasts. Behold, how a small flame burns down the great forests.1

6 Likewise the unjust tongue is a fire unto the world; as so with the unrighteous tongue among our members, that it defiles the whole of the body, and sets fire upon the path of our nature, then is set on fire by hell.1

7 For such is the nature of beasts, as with the birds and also serpents and the creatures of the sea, they are tamed and subdued by human nature. 

8 But no one is able to control the tongue of men; it is an insatiable2 evil, full of mortal poison.

9* with it we praise the Lord and Father, and by this we doom those of mankind, those who have accordingly been made in the image of God.a 1

10 From out of the same mouth comes blessing and doom. My brethren, things should not to be this way. 

11 A wellspring does not pour forth both the bitter and the sweet from its depths, 

12* my brothers, a fig tree cannot produce olives, nor a vine figs. In the same manner nor can bitter water bring forth a good taste. 

13 Who is wise and learned among you? let them demonstrate it by exceptional conduct in their works in the midst of humble skillfulness. 14 But if you cling unto bitter jealousy along with disobedience in your heart, do not glory and stop lying against the truth. 

15 These ways are not of the Wisdom descended from above, but rather of the worldly, animalistic, the demonic. 

16 For where there is jealousy and disobedience there is instability and every evil work.3

17 But the Wisdom of that which is from the beginning is foremost of all, truly divine, thereby loving of peace, just, obedient, full of mercy and good fruits, without bias, and without hypocrisy.3

18 And the fruit of righteousness is planted within the peace by those who make the peace.

1. Papyrus 20 – 100-200 A.D.

2. Codex Ephraemi 400-500 A.D. 

3. P100 - 100-200 A.D.

a. Verse references Genesis 1:27.

Chapter 4

1 What is the source of wars and the origin of conflicts among all of you? Do they not come from your desires which war within your members?1

2 You desire, yet do not have; so you commit murder and you are jealous, but are unable to obtain, you battle and war. You do not have because you do not ask. 

3 You ask, yet do not receive, because you are asking wrongfully, so that you might use it according to your pleasures. 

4 You adulterers and adulteresses, do you not know that the friendship of the world is hatred of God? Therefore whoever desires to be a friend of the world sets themselves as an enemy of God. 

5 Or do you think that the scripture narrates without purpose that He desires the spirit which dwells within us? 

6 And He gives abundant grace. On account of this it states, “God is opposes the arrogant, but gives grace to the humble”2

7 Therefore submit yourselves unto God, then resist the devil and he will flee from you. 

8 draw near to God and He will draw near unto you. You are to cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, oh you double minded. 

9 Suffer and grieve weeping, letting your laughter be turned into mourning, and joy unto gloom.1

10 Then humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will exalt you. 

11 Do not speak evil against one another brothers. Those who speak evil against a brother, or judges their brother, is speaking against the law and is condemning the law; and if you condemn the law, you are not a practitioner of the law, but rather someone passing judgment. 12 There is only One lawmaker and One Judge, He who is able to save and destroy; and who are you to pass judgment against a neighbor?1

13 Unto those who say, "Today or tomorrow we shall go into the city, and spend a year there, as to buy and sell and we shall make a profit!” 

14 Such as these do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? Because you are merely a vapor that appears for a short while, and then vanishes from sight.1

15 Instead you should say, “If the Lord may will it, we shall both live and do this or that” 

16 But now you glory in your boastful pride; all boastful pride such as this is wicked. 

17 Therefore knowing to do good and not doing it, is a sinful thing.

1. P100 - 100-200 A.D.

2. Proverbs 3:34 - The Mt.Sinai Bible 300-400 A.D.

Chapter 5

1 Go now, those who are rich, weep, crying aloud for the torments that are coming to you. 

2 You whose riches are corrupted, and your clothes are moth-eaten. 

3 Your gold and silver has rusted; and the corrosion of them shall be a testimony against you, and shall consume your flesh like fire. You have hoarded treasure for the last days. 

4 Behold! The reward of the laborers who harvested your fields, those who you have kept back by fraud; cry out, and the shouts of those who did the harvesting have reached the ears of the Lord of Hosts.1

5 You have lived in luxury upon the earth and gave into excess; you have nourished your hearts unto the ends of the day of slaughter. 

6 You are condemned, you have murdered the righteous; who did not oppose you. 

7 Because of this be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. Behold! The Keeper of the Vineyard is expecting the precious harvest of the earth, having long been patient for it, until He receives the first and latter rain. 

8 Therefore have patience and strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near. 

9 Brethren, do not hold grudges against one another, lest you be judged; behold, the Judge stands at the door. 

10 My brothers, receive the examples of the prophets who have spoken in the name of the Lord, the perseverance and steadfastness. 

11 Behold, we regard those who persevered blessed. You have heard about perseverance of Job, and remember the results of the Lord, that the Lord is compassionate and merciful. 

12 But above all things, my brethren, do not swear, not by heaven, or by the earth, nor by any other oath; but let your yes be yes: and your no be no: so that you shall not fall into the judgment. 

13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let them pray. Is anyone joyful? Let them sing praise. 

14 Is anyone ill among you? Let him call upon the elders of the assembly; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; 

15 and by the prayer of the faithful those one who are sick will be healed, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he might have committed a transgression, it can be forgiven him. 

16 Because of this confess your transgressions unto one another, and pray for one another, so that you might be healed. The prayer of the righteous is able to accomplish much. 

17 Elijah was a man with passions like us, and he prayed sincerely that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. 

18 And again he prayed, and the heavens gave the rain, and the land brought forth its fruit. 

19 My brothers, if any among you wanders from the truth and someone turns them back,2

20 let them know that those who turn a sinner back from the error of his way can save a soul from death, and shall cover a great multitude of sins.

1. The Mt.Sinai Bible - 300-400 A.D.

2. Codex Alexandrinus - 400-500 A.D.