Greeting
1 aJames, a servant1 of God and bof the Lord Jesus Christ,
To cthe twelve tribes in dthe Dispersion:
Greetings.
Testing of Your Faith
2 eCount it all joy, my brothers,2 when you meet trials fof various kinds, 3 for you know that gthe testing of your faith hproduces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be iperfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
5 jIf any of you lacks wisdom, klet him ask God, lwho gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6 But mlet him ask in faith, nwith no doubting, for the one who doubts is like oa wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 phe is a double-minded man, qunstable in all his ways.
9 Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, 10 and rthe rich in his humiliation, because slike a flower of the grass3 he will pass away. 11 For the sun rises with its scorching heat and twithers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.
12 uBlessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive vthe crown of life, wwhich God has promised to those who love him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire xwhen it has conceived gives birth to sin, and ysin when it is fully grown brings forth death.
16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. 17 zEvery good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from athe Father of lights, bwith whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.4 18 cOf his own will he dbrought us forth by the word of truth, ethat we should be a kind of ffirstfruits of his creatures.
To Your Name Give Glory
1 aNot to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory,
bfor the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!
2 Why should the nations say,
c“Where is their God?”
3 dOur God is in the heavens;
ehe does all that he pleases.
4 fTheir idols are silver and gold,
gthe work of human hands.
5 They have mouths, hbut do not speak;
eyes, but do not see.
6 They have ears, but do not hear;
noses, but do not smell.
7 They have hands, but do not feel;
feet, but do not walk;
and they do not make a sound in their throat.
8 iThose who make them become like them;
so do all who trust in them.
9 O jIsrael,1 ktrust in the Lord!
He is their lhelp and their shield.
10 O jhouse of Aaron, trust in the Lord!
He is their help and mtheir shield.
11 You nwho fear the Lord, trust in the Lord!
He is their help and their shield.
12 The Lord has remembered us; he will bless us;
he will bless othe house of Israel;
he will bless othe house of Aaron;
13 he will pbless those who fear the Lord,
qboth the small and the great.
14 May the Lord rgive you increase,
you and your children!
15 May syou be blessed by the Lord,
twho made heaven and earth!
16 The heavens are the Lord’s heavens,
but the earth he has given to the children of man.
17 uThe dead do not praise the Lord,
nor do any who go down into vsilence.
18 But wwe will bless the Lord
from this time forth and forevermore.
xPraise the Lord!
