James 1:1-27 MEV

[1] James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad: Greetings. [2] My brothers, count it all joy when you fall into diverse temptations, [3] knowing that the trying of your faith develops patience. [4] But let patience perfect its work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. [5] If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men liberally and without criticism, and it will be given to him. [6] But let him ask in faith, without wavering. For he who wavers is like a wave of the sea, driven and tossed with the wind. [7] Let not that man think that he will receive anything from the Lord. [8] A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways. [9] Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted, [10] but the rich in that he is made low, because as the flower of the grass he will pass away. [11] For the sun rises with a burning heat and it withers the grass, and its flowers fall, and its beauty perishes. So will the rich man wither away in his ways. [12] Blessed is the man who endures temptation, for when he is tried, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. [13] Let no man say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God," for God cannot be tempted with evil; neither does He tempt anyone. [14] But each man is tempted when he is drawn away by his own lust and enticed. [15] Then, when lust has conceived, it brings forth sin; and when sin is finished, it brings forth death. [16] Do not err, my beloved brothers. [17] Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no change or shadow of turning. [18] Of His own will He brought us forth with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of His creatures. [19] Therefore, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger, [20] for the anger of man does not work the righteousness of God. [21] Therefore lay aside all filthiness and remaining wickedness and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. [22] Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. [23] For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man viewing his natural face in a mirror. [24] He views himself, and goes his way, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. [25] But whoever looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this man will be blessed in his deeds. [26] If anyone among you seems to be religious and does not bridle his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is vain. [27] Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unstained by the world.