THE
BOOK OF JAMES
-
headings and translation by textman -
Chapter One
Address & Opening Blessing
From: Jacob, a slave of God, and of the Lord Jesus Christ.
To: the Twelve Tribes in the Dispersion ... Grace to you!
The Flower of Doubt
(2) Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you fall
into various trials, (3) knowing that the testing of your faith works
endurance; (4) and let endurance have its complete work (that you
may be mature and complete, lacking for nothing). (5) But if any
one of you is lacking wisdom, let that one ask God (who gives
generously and without reproach), and it will be given.
(6) But let her ask in faith (doubting nothing); for the one who
doubts is like a wave of the sea, being blown and tossed about by
the wind. (7) And do not let that one think that she will receive
anything from the Lord; (8) for she is a double-minded woman
(unstable in all her ways).
(9) But let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, and the rich
one in her humiliation; because she will pass away like a flower of
the grass. (11) For the sun rose with the burning heat, and dried
the grass, and the flower fell, and its visible beauty perished.
So also the rich one in her goings will fade away.
The Source of Temptation
(12) Blessed is the Believer who endures trials; because having become
approved s/he will receive the Crown of Life (which the Lord promised
to all those who love Him). (13) And let no one who is tempted say that
'God is tempting me'; for God is not tempted by evil things, and He
himself tempts no one. (14) But each one is tempted by her own desire;
being drawn away and being allured. (15) Then the desire (having
conceived) gives birth to sin; and the sin (having come to full growth)
brings forth spiritual death. (16) So do not be deceived, my brothers
and sisters. (17) Every good endowment and every perfect gift is from
above, coming down from the Father of Lights (with whom there is no
variation or shadow of turning). (18) But having willed it, He gave
birth to us through the Word of Truth; so that we are a kind of first-
fruit of his creatures.
Religion in Word & Deed
- The Way to Salvation -
Understand this my beloved sisters and brothers: Let everyone be
quick to listen, slow to speech, and slow to anger; (20) For one's
anger does not produce God's Righteousness. (21) Therefore lay
aside all Vulgarity, and the great mass of Malice; and humbly accept
the Implanted-Word which is able to save your Souls!
- The Face in the Mirror -
So be Doers of the Way of Love & Reason, and not just Listeners,
deceiving yourselves. (23) For if anyone is only a Listener of the Way
of Love & Reason (and not a Doer), that one is like a Woman who
takes a good look in a Mirror at the Face she was born-again with.
(24) For she considered herself carefully; and then went away and
forgot what she was like! (25) But they who have caught a glimpse
of the Perfect Law (the one of Freedom), and stayed with Him -
being not a Forgetful Listener, but a Doer of His work - they are
blessed in ALL that they do.
- What True Religion Is -
So if anyone thinks they are religious, when they do not bridle the
tongue (but deceive the Heart), this one's "religion" is worthless!
(27) Pure & Unstained Religion before God the Father is this: To visit
Orphans & Widows in their Affliction, AND to keep oneself from being
defiled by the WORLD!
Chapter Two
The Problem of Favoritism & the Law
(2:1) My brothers and sisters, our faith in Jesus Christ (our Lord of
Glory) does not rest in partiality and favoritism. (2) For if a woman
in splendid clothing, and with gold rings on her fingers, enters your
synagogue, and also a poor man in shabby clothing, and you look on
the one wearing gold and fine clothing, and say "You sit here well-
situated", and to the poor man say "You stand there" or "Sit under my
foot stool"; (4) Do you not thereby make distinctions among yourselves,
and so become judges with evil thoughts?
(5) Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters, did God not choose the
poor ones of the world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the Kingdom
which he promised to those who love him? (6) But you dishonor the
poor! Is it not the rich ones who oppress you, and drag you into law
courts? (7) Do they not slander and blaspheme the Good Name which
you were named with? (8) If indeed you perform the Royal Law according
to the Scripture (ie. you shall love your neighbor as yourself), then you
do well; (9) but if you show partiality and favoritism, you commit sin
(being exposed by the law as transgressors).
(10) For whoever keeps all the Law, but stumbles in any one part, has
become guilty of breaking them all. (11) For the one who said, "Do not
commit adultery", also said, "Do not murder". So if you do not commit
adultery, but you murder someone, then you have become a transgressor
of the whole Law. (12) Therefore, speak and act as though you are being
judged by the Law of Freedom. (13) For the judgment will be merciless to
the one who shows no mercy; but otherwise mercy triumphs over judgment!
On the Necessity of Faith-Filled Works
(14) Where then is the profit, my brothers and sisters, if anyone says
"I have faith", but does not have works? Surely this empty faith is not
able to save that one! (15) If a brother or sister is living unclothed,
and lacking daily food, (16) and any one of you says to them, "Go in
peace, be warmed and well-fed", but you do not give to them the things
the body needs, how does this profit you? (17) So also with faith alone.
If faith does not have works (ie. is not accompanied by actions), then
it is dead and worthless!
(18) But if someone says "You have works, but I have faith", say to
them, "Show me your faith without works, and I will show you my faith
from the works I do". (19) And if you believe that God is one, then you
do well; although even the demons believe that (and shudder). (20)
But are you willing to know, O Hollow One, that faith without works is
useless and unproductive? (21) Was not Abraham (the father of us)
justified by works, having offered his son Isaac upon the altar? (22)
You see that faith was working with his actions, and by his actions
his faith was made complete. (23) And so was fulfilled the scripture
that says, "And Abraham believed God, and it was accounted as
righteousness to him, and so was called a friend of God". (24) So you
see that by works is one justified, and not by faith alone.
(25) And likewise also was not Rahab the prostitute justified by
works; having received the messengers, and by a different way did
send them out? (26) For just as the body that breathes not is dead,
so also faith without works is dead!
Chapter Three
The Uncontrollable Evil
(3:1) My brothers and sisters, there are not many teachers who know
that stricter judgment which we will receive. (2) For we all stumble in
many ways! If anyone does not stumble in speech, this one is a perfect
human being (able to also restrain the whole body). (3) And if we put
bits into our horse's mouths (so as to make them obey us), then we
are able to direct their whole body. (4) Behold also the great ships that
are driven by hard winds. They are guided by a very small rudder, and
go wherever the impulse of the one steering decides. (5) So also the
tongue is a small member; and yet it boasts great things. See how a
small fire can burn down a great forest. And the tongue is also a fire;
for the tongue becomes the sum total of unrighteousness (among
our physical organs), staining the whole body, and settling on fire
the wheel of life, and being set on fire by Hell.
(7) For every species of both beasts and birds, of both reptiles and
sea creatures, is tamed and has been tamed by the human species.
(8) But the tongue of humankind no one is able to tame! For it is
an uncontrollable evil (full of fatal poison). (9) With this organ we
bless the Lord and the Father; and with this we curse the men and
women who have been made according to the likeness of God. (10)
Thus out of the same mouth comes forth both blessing and cursing.
But it is not necessary, my brothers and sisters, for these things to
be so. (11) Do the sweet and bitter waters both pour fourth out of
the same fountain opening? (12) My brothers and sisters, surely a fig
tree is not able to produce olives, or a vine figs. And neither is salt
able to make water sweet!
The Wisdom From Above
(13) Who is wise and understanding among you? ... Let them show it
by their good conduct, such that their works are done in the meekness
of wisdom. (14) But if you have bitter jealously and selfishness in your
heart, do not boast, or lie against the Truth. (15) For this is not the
wisdom that comes down from above; but rather is earthly and natural
and demonic. (16) For where jealousy and selfishness exist, there is
disorder and every evil practice. (17) But the wisdom from above is
first of all pure, then peace-loving, considerate, yielding, full of mercy
and good fruits, impartial, and also unhypocritical. (18) Thus the fruit
of righteousness is sown in peace by the ones who make peace.
Chapter Four
On How to Approach the-god
(4:1) From where comes all these wars and wranglings among
you? Is it not from your sensual pleasures at war in your limbs
and organs? (2) You desire what you do not have, so you kill
and you envy; but are not able to obtain. So you fight and you
wage war. ... You do not have because you fail to ask! (3) So
you ask, but do not receive; because you ask wrongly (that you
may spend it on your own pleasures).
(4) Adulterous fools! Do you not know that friendship with the
World means hatred of God? Therefore, whoever chooses to be
a friend of the World, becomes an enemy of God! (5) Or do you
suppose that the Scriptures speak in vain when it says that the
Spirit which he caused to dwell in us 'desires us with jealousy'?
(6) But he gives us an even greater Grace! Therefore it says:
"God opposes the proud, but to the humble He gives Grace"
(Proverbs 3:34).
(7) Therefore be subject to God! And if you oppose the Devil,
she will surely flee from you. (8) So drawn near to God, and
He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and
sanctify your hearts, you Double-Minded Ones. (9) Lament and
mourn and weep! Let your laughing be changed into crying; and
your joy into sorrow and shame. (10) Be humbled before the
Lord, and he will exalt you.
On Being Above the Law
(11) Do not speak against one another, my brothers and sisters.
For the one who speaks against another, or judges her brother,
speaks against the Law; and even judges the law. Now if you
judge the Law, you are not a 'Doer of the Law', but a judge
*over* it! (12) But there is only one Lawgiver and Judge; the
same one who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you
to be judging your neighbor?
On Sins of Omission
(13) So now come the ones saying: "Today (or tomorrow) we
will go into this (or that) city, and we will do business there. We
will merchandise and traffic and distribute, and we will make a
profit." (14) But they do not know what tomorrow will be like, or
what your life will bring. For you are but a mist; appearing for a
little while only, and then disappearing. (15) So instead of speaking
like this, you ought to say: "If the Lord wills it that we live, then we
will perhaps do this or that." (16) But now you boast and brag long
in your pretensions. Yet all such boasting is evil. (17) Therefore: to
the one knowing what it is to do good, and yet does not do it, to
that one this omission is attributed as sin!
Chapter Five
The Madness of the Rich!
(5:1) Now come the rich ones weeping and howling over the miseries
that come upon them. (2) Your wealth has rotted, and your clothes have
become moth-eaten rags. (3) Your gold and silver has corroded; and the
corrosion of them will be testimony to you, and will eat your flesh as
fire. Yet you stored up treasure for the last days. (4) Behold: the pay
of the workers who mowed your fields, which you withheld from them,
cries out; and cries of those having reaped for you has entered into
the ears of the Lord of Hosts. (5) You live in luxury and indulgence
upon the earth. You nourished your heart's desires (as in a day of
slaughter). (6) You condemned and killed the righteous man; he does
not resist you.
The Virtue of Patience
(7) Therefore be patient, my brothers and sisters, until the coming of
the Lord. See how the farmer awaits the precious fruit of the earth;
being patient for it, until it receives the early and latter rain. (8)
So be you likewise patient. Fortify your hearts, because the coming of
the Lord has drawn near. (9) And do not murmur against one another,
my brothers and sisters, lest you be judged; for behold: the Judge
stands before the doors. (10) Brothers and sisters, take as an example
of patience, and of suffering evil, the prophets who spoke in the name
of the Lord. (11) See how we call them blessed (these ones having
endured). You have heard of the endurance of Job, and you saw the
end result from the Lord; for the Lord is full of tender compassion
and mercy.
On Speaking It Straight
(12) But before all things, my brothers and sisters, do not swear;
neither by heaven, nor by the earth, nor by any other oath. But let
your 'yes' be yes, and your 'no' be no ... Lest you fall under judgment.
On the Power & Potential of Prayer
(13) And if anyone among you is suffering misfortune, let him pray.
If anyone is happy, let her sing praise. (14) If anyone among you is
sick, let him call the elders of the church, and let them pray over him,
having anointed him with oil in the name of the Lord. (15) And the
prayer of faith will deliver the sick one; and the Lord will raise him
up. And if he may have been committing sins, they will be forgiven.
(16) Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray on behalf
of each other (so that you may be cured). For the petition of a
righteous believer has great power to be effective. (17) Remember
also that Elijah was a man very like us, and with prayer he prayed for
it not to rain, and it did not rain upon the earth for three years and six
months. (18) And when he prayed again (for the rain to come), the
sky gave forth rain, and the fruits of the earth didst sprout up.
On How to Save Your Soul
(19) My beloved brothers and sisters! If any one among you wanders
from the Truth, and someone turns her back, (20) let him know that
the one who turns back a sinner (from her wandering ways) will save
his soul from death, and it will cover a multitude of sins!