1I, James, am writing this letter. I serve God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
I am sending this letter to you, the 12 tribes scattered among the nations.
Greetings.
Facing All Kinds of Trouble
2My brothers and sisters, you will face all kinds of trouble. When you do, think of it as pure joy. 3Your faith will be tested. You know that when this happens it will produce in you the strength to continue. 4And you must allow this strength to finish its work. Then you will be all you should be. You will have everything you need. 5If any of you needs wisdom, you should ask God for it. He will give it to you. God gives freely to everyone and doesn’t find fault. 6But when you ask, you must believe. You must not doubt. That’s because a person who doubts is like a wave of the sea. The wind blows and tosses them around. 7They shouldn’t expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8This kind of person can’t make up their mind. They can never decide what to do.
9Here’s what believers who are in low positions in life should be proud of. They should be proud that God has given them a high position in the kingdom. 10But rich people should take pride in their low positions. That’s because they will fade away like wild flowers. 11The sun rises. Its burning heat dries up the plants. Their blossoms fall. Their beauty is destroyed. In the same way, rich people will fade away. They fade away even as they go about their business.
12Blessed is the person who keeps on going when times are hard. After they have come through hard times, this person will receive a crown. The crown is life itself. The Lord has promised it to those who love him.
13When a person is tempted, they shouldn’t say, “God is tempting me.” God can’t be tempted by evil. And he doesn’t tempt anyone. 14But each person is tempted by their own evil desires. These desires lead them on and drag them away. 15When these desires are allowed to remain, they lead to sin. And when sin is allowed to remain and grow, it leads to death.
16My dear brothers and sisters, don’t let anyone fool you. 17Every good and perfect gift is from God. This kind of gift comes down from the Father who created the heavenly lights. These lights create shadows that move. But the Father does not change like these shadows. 18God chose to give us new birth through the message of truth. He wanted us to be the first harvest of his new creation.
Listen to the Word and Do What It Says
19My dear brothers and sisters, pay attention to what I say. Everyone should be quick to listen. But they should be slow to speak. They should be slow to get angry. 20Human anger doesn’t produce the holy life God wants. 21So get rid of everything that is sinful. Get rid of the evil that is all around us. Don’t be too proud to accept the word that is planted in you. It can save you.
22Don’t just listen to the word. You fool yourselves if you do that. You must do what it says. 23Suppose someone listens to the word but doesn’t do what it says. Then they are like a person who looks at their face in a mirror. 24After looking at themselves, they leave. And right away they forget what they look like. 25But suppose someone takes a good look at the perfect law that gives freedom. And they keep looking at it. Suppose they don’t forget what they’ve heard, but they do what the law says. Then this person will be blessed in what they do.
26Suppose people think their beliefs and how they live are both right. But they don’t control what they say. Then they are fooling themselves. Their beliefs and way of life are not worth anything at all. 27Here are the beliefs and way of life that God our Father accepts as pure and without fault. When widows are in trouble, take care of them. Do the same for children who have no parents. And don’t let the world make you impure.
1我是做上帝和主耶稣基督奴仆的雅各，问候散居各地的十二支派的人。
信心和忍耐
2我的弟兄姊妹，当你们遭遇各种磨炼的时候，都要认为是喜乐的事。 3要知道你们的信心经过考验会产生坚忍。 4你们要坚忍到底，使你们纯全、完备、毫无缺欠。
5如果你们谁缺少智慧，就当求慷慨施恩、不责备人的上帝，上帝必赐给他智慧。 6-8但他要凭信心毫不疑惑地祈求，因为疑惑的人三心二意，行事为人没有定见，就像海上随风翻腾的波涛，这种人从主那里什么也得不到。
9卑微的弟兄高升，应当快乐。 10富有的弟兄降卑，也要快乐，因为他会像花草一样衰残。 11骄阳升起，草就干枯，花也凋谢，美丽就消失了。富有的人在忙忙碌碌中也会如此衰残。
12在试炼中能够忍耐到底的人有福了，因为他若经得起考验，就会得到主应许赐给爱祂之人的生命冠冕。 13当人受到诱惑时，不可说：“是上帝在诱惑我。”因为上帝不受邪恶的诱惑，也不诱惑人。 14其实每个受到诱惑的人都是受自己的私欲怂恿和诱惑。 15私欲怀了胎，便生出罪，罪一旦长成，便带来死亡。
16我亲爱的弟兄姊妹，不要上当受骗。 17一切良善的施予和完美的恩赐都是从天上，从众光之父那里来的。祂不像转动的影子变幻无常。 18祂按照自己的旨意，借着真道重生了我们，使我们在祂所造的万物之中好像初熟的果实。
听道与行道
19我亲爱的弟兄姊妹，请记住：每个人都要快快地听，慢慢地说，慢慢地动怒。 20因为人的愤怒不能成就上帝的公义。 21所以你们要除去所有的污秽和一切的恶习，谦卑地领受那已经栽种在你们心里、能救你们灵魂的真道。
22你们要行道，不要只是听道，自己欺骗自己。 23因为人听道而不行道，就像照镜子一样， 24看过后就走了，随即忘记了自己的容貌。 25但详细查考那使人得自由的全备律法并且持之以恒的人，不是听了就忘，而是身体力行，这样的人必在他所行的事上蒙福。
26如果有人自以为虔诚，却不勒住自己的舌头，就等于是自己欺骗自己，他的所谓虔诚也毫无价值。 27在父上帝看来，纯洁无暇的虔诚是指照顾患难中的孤儿寡妇，并且不让自己被世俗玷污。
