The Importance Of Doing What Is

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the true

Israelites scattered among the nations, greeting.



My brothers, regard it as only a cause for joy, when you fall into all

kinds of trials. Know that the testing of your faith develops patience;

but let your patience do its perfect work, that you may be perfect and

complete, lacking nothing.



If any of you lacks wisdom, let him a k God who gives to all men

liberally and without reproach, and it will be given him. Only let him

ask with faith, with never a doubt, for the man who doubts is like the

waves of the sea, driven and tossed by the winds. Let not such a man

think, that a half-hearted man, unstable in all his ways, will receive

anything from God.



Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has stood the

test, he will receive the crown of life which is promised to all who

love God. Let no man say when he is being tempted: "I am tempted of

God," for God cannot be tempted to do wrong, and he himself tempts no

one. Each man is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own

evil desire. Then the evil desire gives birth to sin, and sin, when it

is full grown, brings death.



Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every

perfect blessing comes from above, from the Father who is the source of

all light, with whom there is no variation nor shadow made by turning.



Know this, my beloved brothers: let every one be quick to hear, slow to

speak, slow to be angry, for a man's anger does not promote the

righteousness that God approves. So putting away all that is vile and

wicked, receive with humility the message of truth that is deeply rooted

in you which is able to save your soul.



Do what that message commands, and do not merely hear it and deceive

yourselves. For if any one hears that message but does not do as it

commands, he is like a man who looks at his own face in the mirror, for

he looks at himself, goes off, and at once forgets what he is like. But

he who looks into the perfect law of freedom and continues to do so, not

merely listening to it and then forgetting, but does real work, will be

blessed in what he does.



If any one thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but

deceives himself, his religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and

stainless, such as God our Father approves is this: to visit the orphans

and widows in their trouble and to keep oneself clean from the evil of

the world.