1James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations:
Greetings.
Trials and Temptations
2Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,1:2 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in verses 16 and 19; and in 2:1, 5, 14; 3:10, 12; 4:11; 5:7, 9, 10, 12, 19. whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.
9Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position. 10But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower. 11For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich will fade away even while they go about their business.
12Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.
13When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 15Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
16Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. 17Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 18He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.
Listening and Doing
19My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. 21Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
22Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.
26Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. 27Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
1Saa krataa yi fi me Yakobo a meyɛ Onyankopɔn ne Awurade Yesu Kristo somfo nkyɛn,
Mikyia mmusuakuw dumien a wɔahwete no nyinaa.
Gyidi Ne Nyansa
2Anuanom, sɛ sɔhwɛ bi ba mo akwan mu a, momma mo ani nnye 3efisɛ sɛ mo gyidi tumi gyina sɔhwɛ no ano a, ɛno ansa na munya ntoboase. 4Momma ntoboase no ntena mo mu daa nyinaa sɛnea ɛbɛyɛ a mobɛyɛ pɛ a biribiara ho renhia mo. 5Sɛ nyansa1.5 Ɛma anigye wɔ ɔhaw mu (nky. 2). Yennya nyansa kɛkɛ, na mmom, ɛyɛ honhom aba (3.13-18; Mmb 1.2-9) ho hia mo mu bi a, ɛsɛ sɛ ɔbɔ mpae srɛ Onyankopɔn na ɔbɛma no bi, efisɛ Onyankopɔn fi ayamye ne adom mu ma obiara nea ehia no no kwa. 6Na sɛ worebɔ mpae a, ɛsɛ sɛ wugye di a wunnye ho akyinnye. Obiara a ogye akyinnye no te sɛ po asorɔkye a mframa bɔ no kɔ baabiara a ɛpɛ. 7Ɛnsɛ sɛ saa onipa no susuw sɛ obenya biribiara afi Awurade nkyɛn; 8nʼadwene yɛ no ntanta a ontumi nsi biribiara pi.
Ohia Ne Ahonya
9Sɛ Onyankopɔn ma onua hiani so a, ɛsɛ sɛ nʼani gye, 10na adefo a wabrɛ wɔn ase no nso saa ara. Efisɛ, adefo no twam kɔ sɛ wuram afifide bi. 11Owia pue de ne hyew no hyew afifide no ma nʼahoɔfɛ sɛe. Saa ara na wɔbɛsɛe adefo no wɔ bere a wogu so redi wɔn nnwuma no.
Sɔhwɛ
12Nhyira nka onipa a onya gyidi wɔ amanehunu mu, efisɛ ɔno na obenya akyɛde a Onyankopɔn ahyɛ ho bɔ ama wɔn a wɔdɔ no no.
13Sɛ wɔsɔ obi hwɛ a, ɛnsɛ sɛ ɔka se, “Saa sɔhwɛ yi fi Onyankopɔn.” Efisɛ bɔne rentumi nsɔ Onyankopɔn nhwɛ, na ɔno Onyankopɔn nso nsɔ obi nhwɛ. 14Na sɛ onipa twe ne ho na ɔno ara nʼakɔnnɔ yi no a, na ayɛ sɔhwɛ ama no. 15Na sɛ akɔnnɔ no nyinsɛn a, ɛwo bɔne, na bɔne no nyin a ɛwo owu.
16Me nuanom adɔfo, mommma wɔnnnaadaa mo. 17Akyɛde pa ne akyɛde a ɛyɛ pɛ nyinaa fi ɔsoro; efi Onyankopɔn a ɔbɔɔ ɔsoro hann no nkyɛn na ɛba. Ɔno na ɔnsesa sɛ sunsuma. 18Ofi ne pɛ mu nam nokware a ɛwɔ asɛm no mu no so woo yɛn sɛnea ɛbɛyɛ a, yebedi kan wɔ abɔde nyinaa mu.
Otie Ne Ɔyɛ
19Me nuanom adɔfo, monhyɛ eyinom nsow: monyɛ ntɛm ntie, monyɛ nyaa nkasa na monyɛ nyaa mfa abufuw; 20efisɛ onipa abufuw no mma onnya Onyankopɔn trenee no. 21Ɛno nti, montwe mo ho mfi afide ne atirimɔden ho. Momfa mo ho mma Onyankopɔn na munnye asɛm a odua wɔ mo koma mu a ebegye mo nkwa no.
22Munntie asɛm no sɛ atiefo kwa nsisi mo ho, na mmom monyɛ asɛm no yɛfo. 23Obiara a otie asɛm no na ɔmfa nni dwuma no te sɛ obi a ɔhwɛ ahwehwɛ mu, na ohu sɛnea ɔte. 24Ɔhwɛ ne ho wɔ ahwehwɛ no mu hu ne ho yiye na sɛ ofi ahwehwɛ no anim ara pɛ a, ne werɛ fi nea ohuu no nyinaa. 25Nanso obiara a ɔhwɛ mmara a ɛyɛ pɛ, na ɛma onipa de ne ho no mu yiye,1.25 Kristosom nkyerɛkyerɛ a egyina Apam Dedaw mmara no so sɛnea wɔakyerɛw wɔ mmara nsɛm du no mu (Nnw 19.7) nanso Yesu Kristo bewiee ne nyinaa wɔ Mat 5.17; Rom 10.4. na odi so, na otie, na ne werɛ mfi, na ɔde di dwuma no, Onyankopɔn behyira saa onipa no wɔ biribiara a ɔyɛ mu.
26Sɛ obi susuw sɛ ɔyɛ Onyamesomni na wanto ne tɛkrɛma nnareka a, ne nyamesom no so nni mfaso na ɔdaadaa ne ho nso. 27Nea Agya Onyankopɔn fa no sɛ ɛyɛ onyamesom pa no ni: Ɔhwɛ nyisaa ne akunafo wɔ wɔn ahohia mu, na oyi ne ho fi wiase porɔwee ho.
