James 4:16

4:16 But as it is,¹ you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.

James 2:10

2:10 For the one who obeys the whole law but fails² in one point has become guilty of all of it.³

James 1:8

1:8 since he is a double-minded individual,⁴ unstable in all his ways.

James 1:2

Joy in Trials

1:2 My brothers and sisters,⁵ consider it nothing but joy⁶ when you fall into all sorts of trials,

James 1:21

1:21 So put away all filth and evil excess and humbly⁷ welcome the message implanted within you, which is able to save your souls.

James 3:2

3:2 For we all stumble⁸ in many ways. If someone does not stumble⁹ in what he says,¹⁰ he is a perfect individual,¹¹ able to control the entire body as well.

James 1:5

1:5 But if anyone is deficient in wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without reprimand, and it will be given to him.

James 5:12

5:12 And above all, my brothers and sisters,¹² do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath. But let your “Yes” be yes and your “No” be no, so that you may not fall into judgment.

James 1:18

1:18 By his sovereign plan he gave us birth¹³ through the message of truth, that we would be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

James 3:17

3:17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, accommodating,¹⁴ full of mercy and good fruit,¹⁵ impartial, and not hypocritical.¹⁶

James 1:17

1:17 All generous giving and every perfect gift¹⁷ is from above, coming down¹⁸ from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or the slightest hint of change.¹⁹

James 3:7

3:7 For every kind of animal, bird, reptile, and sea creature²⁰ is subdued and has been subdued by humankind.²¹

James 4:6

4:6 But he gives greater grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but he gives grace to the humble.”²²

James 1:1

Salutation

1:1 From James,²³ a slave²⁴ of God and the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes dispersed abroad.²⁵ Greetings!

James 2:8

2:8 But if you fulfill the royal law as expressed in this scripture,²⁶ “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,”²⁷ you are doing well.

James 3:1

The Power of the Tongue

3:1 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters,²⁸ because you know that we will be judged more strictly.²⁹

James 3:16

3:16 For where there is jealousy and selfishness, there is disorder and every evil practice.

James 5:1

Warning to the Rich

5:1 Come now, you rich! Weep and cry aloud³⁰ over the miseries that are coming on you.

James 1:11

1:11 For the sun rises with its heat and dries up the meadow; the petal of the flower falls off and its beauty is lost forever.³¹ So also the rich person in the midst of his pursuits will wither away.

James 3:6

3:6 And the tongue is a fire! The tongue represents³² the world of wrongdoing among the parts of our bodies. It³³ pollutes the entire body and sets fire to the course of human existence – and is set on fire by hell.³⁴

¹tn Grk “but now.”

²tn Or “stumbles.”

³tn Grk “guilty of all.”

³tn Grk “a man of two minds,” continuing the description of the person in v. 7, giving the reason that he cannot expect to receive anything. The word for “man” or “individual” is ἀνήρ (anhr), which often means “male” or “man (as opposed to woman).” But it sometimes is used generically to mean “anyone,” “a person,” as here (cf. BDAG 79 s.v. 2).

⁴tn Grk “brothers,” but the Greek word may be used for “brothers and sisters” or “fellow Christians” as here (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 1, where considerable nonbiblical evidence for the plural ἀδελφοί [adelfoi] meaning “brothers and sisters” is cited). Where the plural term is used in direct address, as here, “brothers and sisters” is used; where the term is singular and not direct address (as in v. 9), “believer” is preferred.

⁵tn Grk “all joy,” “full joy,” or “greatest joy.”

⁵tn Or “with meekness.”

⁶tn Or “fail.”

⁷tn Or “fail.”

⁸tn Grk “in speech.”

⁹tn The word for “man” or “individual” is ἀνήρ (anhr), which often means “male” or “man (as opposed to woman).” But it sometimes is used generically to mean “anyone,” “a person,” as here (cf. BDAG 79 s.v. 2).

⁷tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:2.

⁸tn Grk “Having willed, he gave us birth.”

⁹tn Or “willing to yield,” “open to persuasion.”

¹⁰tn Grk “fruits.” The plural Greek term καρπούς has been translated with the collective singular “fruit.”

¹¹tn Or “sincere.”

¹⁰tn The first phrase refers to the action of giving and the second to what is given.

¹¹tn Or “All generous giving and every perfect gift from above is coming down.”

¹²tn Grk “variation or shadow of turning” (referring to the motions of heavenly bodies causing variations of light and darkness).

¹¹tn Grk (plurals), “every kind of animals and birds, of reptiles and sea creatures.”

¹²tn Grk “the human species.”

¹²sn A quotation from Prov 3:34.

¹³tn Grk “James.” The word “From” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.

¹⁴tn Traditionally, “servant” or “bondservant.” Though δοῦλος (doulos) is normally translated “servant,” the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. BDAG notes that “‘servant’ for ‘slave’ is largely confined to Biblical transl. and early American times…in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished” (BDAG 260 s.v.). The most accurate translation is “bondservant” (sometimes found in the ASV for δοῦλος), in that it often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force.

¹⁵tn Grk “to the twelve tribes in the Diaspora.” The Greek term διασπορά (diaspora, “dispersion”) refers to Jews not living in Palestine but “dispersed” or scattered among the Gentiles.

¹⁴tn Grk “according to the scripture.”

¹⁵sn A quotation from Lev 19:18 (also quoted in Matt 19:19; 22:39; Mark 12:31; Luke 10:27; Rom 13:9; Gal 5:14).

¹⁵tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:2.

¹⁶tn Grk “will receive a greater judgment.”

¹⁶tn Or “wail”; Grk “crying aloud.”

¹⁷tn Or “perishes,” “is destroyed.”

¹⁸tn Grk “makes itself,” “is made.”

¹⁹tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

²⁰sn The word translated hell is “Gehenna” (γέεννα, geenna), a Greek transliteration of the Hebrew words ge hinnom (“Valley of Hinnom”). This was the valley along the south side of Jerusalem. In OT times it was used for human sacrifices to the pagan god Molech (cf. Jer 7:31; 19:5-6; 32:35), and it came to be used as a place where human excrement and rubbish were disposed of and burned. In the intertestamental period, it came to be used symbolically as the place of divine punishment (cf. 1 En. 27:2, 90:26; 4 Ezra 7:36).