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.
1Jakọbu, ìránṣẹ́ Ọlọ́run àti ti Jesu Kristi Olúwa,
Sí àwọn ẹ̀yà méjìlá tí ó fọ́n káàkiri, orílẹ̀-èdè.
Àlàáfíà.
Àwọn ìṣòro àti àwọn ìdánwò
2Ẹ̀yin ará mi, nígbà tí ẹ̀yin bá bọ́ sínú onírúurú ìdánwò, ẹ ka gbogbo rẹ̀ sí ayọ̀; 3nítorí tí ẹ̀yin mọ̀ pé, ìdánwò ìgbàgbọ́ yín ń ṣiṣẹ́ sùúrù. 4Ṣùgbọ́n ẹ jẹ́ kí sùúrù kí ó ṣiṣẹ́ àṣepé, kí ẹ̀yin kí ó lè jẹ́ pípé àti aláìlábùkù tí kò ṣe aláìní ohunkóhun. 5Bí ó bá ku ọgbọ́n fún ẹnikẹ́ni, kí ó béèrè lọ́wọ́ Ọlọ́run ẹni tí fi fún gbogbo ènìyàn ní ọ̀pọ̀lọpọ̀, tí kì í sì ka àlébù sí; a ó sì fi fún un. 6Ṣùgbọ́n nígbà tí òun bá béèrè ní ìgbàgbọ́, ní àìṣiyèméjì rárá. Nítorí ẹni tí ó ń sé iyèméjì dàbí ìgbì omi Òkun, tí à ń ti ọwọ́ afẹ́fẹ́ bì síwá bì sẹ́yìn, tí a sì ń rú u sókè. 7Kí irú ènìyàn bẹ́ẹ̀ má ṣe rò pé, òun yóò rí ohunkóhun gbà lọ́wọ́ Olúwa; 8Ó jẹ ènìyàn oníyèméjì aláìlèdúró ní ọ̀nà rẹ̀ gbogbo.
9Ṣùgbọ́n jẹ́ kí arákùnrin tí ó ń ṣe onírẹ̀lẹ̀ máa ṣògo ní ipò gíga. 101.10-11: Isa 40.6-7.Àti ọlọ́rọ̀, ní ìrẹ̀sílẹ̀, nítorí bí ìtànná koríko ni yóò kọjá lọ. 11Nítorí oòrùn là ti òun ti ooru gbígbóná yóò gbẹ́ koríko, ìtànná rẹ̀ sì rẹ̀ dànù, ẹwà ojú rẹ̀ sì parun: bẹ́ẹ̀ pẹ̀lú ni ọlọ́rọ̀ yóò ṣègbé ní ọ̀nà rẹ̀.
12Ìbùkún ni fún ọkùnrin tí ó fi ọkàn rán ìdánwò; nítorí nígbà tí ó bá yege, yóò gba adé ìyè, tí Olúwa ti ṣèlérí fún àwọn tí ó fẹ́ ẹ.
13Kí ẹnikẹ́ni tí a dánwò kí ó má ṣe wí pé, “Láti ọwọ́ Ọlọ́run ni a ti dán mi wò.” Nítorí a kò lè fi búburú dán Ọlọ́run wò, òun náà kì í sì í dán ẹnikẹ́ni wò; 14Ṣùgbọ́n olúkúlùkù ni a ń dánwò nígbà tí a bá fi ọwọ́ ìfẹ́kúfẹ̀ẹ́ ara rẹ̀ fà á lọ tí a sì tàn án jẹ. 15Ǹjẹ́, ìfẹ́kúfẹ̀ẹ́ nígbà tí ó bá lóyún a bí ẹ̀ṣẹ̀, àti ẹ̀ṣẹ̀ náà nígbà tí ó bá dàgbà tán, a bí ikú.
16Kí a má ṣe tàn yín jẹ, ẹ̀yin ará mi olùfẹ́. 17Gbogbo ẹ̀bùn rere àti gbogbo ẹ̀bùn pípé láti òkè ni ó ti wá, ó sì sọ̀kalẹ̀ láti ọ̀dọ̀ baba ìmọ́lẹ̀ wá, lọ́dọ̀ ẹni tí kò lè yípadà gẹ́gẹ́ bí òjìji àyídà. 18Ó pinnu láti fi ọ̀rọ̀ òtítọ́ bí wa kí àwa kí ó le jẹ́ àkọ́so nínú ohun gbogbo tí ó dá.
Gbígbọ́ àti ṣíṣe ọrọ̀ náà
19Kí ẹ mọ èyí, ẹ̀yin ará mi olùfẹ́; jẹ́ kí olúkúlùkù ènìyàn kí ó máa yára láti gbọ́, kí ó lọ́ra láti fọhùn, kí ó si lọ́ra láti bínú; 20Nítorí ìbínú ènìyàn kì í ṣiṣẹ́ òdodo irú èyí tí Ọlọ́run ń fẹ́. 21Nítorí náà, ẹ lépa láti borí gbogbo èérí àti ìwà búburú tí ó gbilẹ̀ yíká, kí ẹ sì fi ọkàn tútù gba ọ̀rọ̀ náà tí a gbìn, tí ó lè gba ọkàn yín là.
22Ẹ má kan jẹ́ olùgbọ́ ọ̀rọ̀ náà lásán, kí ẹ má ba à ti ipa èyí tan ara yín jẹ́. Ẹ ṣe ohun tí ó sọ. 23Nítorí bí ẹnikẹ́ni bá jẹ́ olùgbọ́ ọ̀rọ̀ náà tí kò sì jẹ́ olùṣe, òun dàbí ọkùnrin tí ó ń ṣàkíyèsí ojú ara rẹ̀ nínú dígí 24Nítorí, lẹ́yìn tí ó bá ti ṣàkíyèsí ara rẹ̀, tí ó sì bá tirẹ̀ lọ, lójúkan náà òun sì gbàgbé bí òun ti rí. 25Ṣùgbọ́n ẹni tí ó bá ń wo inú òfin pípé, òfin òmìnira ni, tí ó sì dúró nínú rẹ̀, tí òun kò sì jẹ́ olùgbọ́ tí ń gbàgbé bí kò ṣe olùṣe rẹ̀, òun yóò jẹ́ alábùkún nínú iṣẹ́ rẹ̀.
26Bí ẹnikẹ́ni bá rò pé òun ń sin Ọlọ́run nígbà tí kò kó ahọ́n rẹ̀ ní ìjánu, ó ń tan ọkàn ara rẹ̀ jẹ, ìsìn rẹ̀ sì jẹ́ asán. 27Ìsìn mímọ́ àti aláìléèérí níwájú Ọlọ́run àti baba ni èyí, láti máa bojútó àwọn aláìní baba àti àwọn opó nínú ìpọ́njú wọn, àti láti pa ara rẹ̀ mọ́ láìlábàwọ́n kúrò nínú ayé.
