1:1 From James, 1 a slave 2 of God and the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes dispersed abroad. 3 Greetings!
1:2 My brothers and sisters, 4 consider it nothing but joy 5 when you fall into all sorts of trials, 1:3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 1:4 And let endurance have its perfect effect, so that you will be perfect and complete, not deficient in anything. 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. 1:6 But he must ask in faith without doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed around by the wind. 1:7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord, 1:8 since he is a double-minded individual, 6 unstable in all his ways.
1:9 Now the believer 7 of humble means 8 should take pride 9 in his high position. 10 1:10 But the rich person’s pride should be in his humiliation, because he will pass away like a wildflower in the meadow. 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. 12 So also the rich person in the midst of his pursuits will wither away. 1:12 Happy is the one 13 who endures testing, because when he has proven to be genuine, he will receive the crown of life that God 14 promised to those who love him. 1:13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted by evil, 15 and he himself tempts no one. 1:14 But each one is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desires. 1:15 Then when desire conceives, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is full grown, it gives birth to death. 1:16 Do not be led astray, my dear brothers and sisters. 16 1:17 All generous giving and every perfect gift 17 is from above, coming down 18 from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or the slightest hint of change. 19 1:18 By his sovereign plan he gave us birth 20 through the message of truth, that we would be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.
1:19 Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters! 21 Let every person be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger. 1:20 For human 22 anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness. 23 1:21 So put away all filth and evil excess and humbly 24 welcome the message implanted within you, which is able to save your souls. 1:22 But be sure you live out the message and do not merely listen to it and so deceive yourselves. 1:23 For if someone merely listens to the message and does not live it out, he is like someone 25 who gazes at his own face 26 in a mirror. 1:24 For he gazes at himself and then goes out and immediately forgets 27 what sort of person he was. 1:25 But the one who peers into the perfect law of liberty and fixes his attention there, 28 and does not become a forgetful listener but one who lives it out – he 29 will be blessed in what he does. 30 1:26 If someone thinks he is religious yet does not bridle his tongue, and so deceives his heart, his religion is futile. 1:27 Pure and undefiled religion before 31 God the Father 32 is this: to care for orphans and widows in their misfortune and to keep oneself unstained by the world.
2:1 My brothers and sisters, 33 do not show prejudice 34 if you possess faith 35 in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. 36 2:2 For if someone 37 comes into your assembly 38 wearing a gold ring and fine clothing, and a poor person enters in filthy clothes, 2:3 do you pay attention to the one who is finely dressed and say, 39 “You sit here in a good place,” 40 and to the poor person, “You stand over there,” or “Sit on the floor”? 41 2:4 If so, have you not made distinctions 42 among yourselves and become judges with evil motives? 43 2:5 Listen, my dear brothers and sisters! 44 Did not God choose the poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he promised to those who love him? 2:6 But you have dishonored the poor! 45 Are not the rich oppressing you and dragging you into the courts? 2:7 Do they not blaspheme the good name of the one you belong to? 46 2:8 But if you fulfill the royal law as expressed in this scripture, 47 “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” 48 you are doing well. 2:9 But if you show prejudice, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as violators. 49 2:10 For the one who obeys the whole law but fails 50 in one point has become guilty of all of it. 51 2:11 For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” 52 also said, “Do not murder.” 53 Now if you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a violator of the law. 2:12 Speak and act as those who will be judged by a law that gives freedom. 54 2:13 For judgment is merciless for the one who has shown no mercy. But mercy triumphs over 55 judgment.
2:14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, 56 if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? Can this kind of faith 57 save him? 58 2:15 If a brother or sister 59 is poorly clothed and lacks daily food, 2:16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm and eat well,” but you do not give them what the body needs, 60 what good is it? 2:17 So also faith, if it does not have works, is dead being by itself. 2:18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” 61 Show me your faith without works and I will show you faith by 62 my works. 2:19 You believe that God is one; well and good. 63 Even the demons believe that – and tremble with fear. 64
2:20 But would you like evidence, 65 you empty fellow, 66 that faith without works is useless? 67 2:21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 2:22 You see that his faith was working together with his works and his faith was perfected by works. 2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Now Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness,” 68 and he was called God’s friend. 69 2:24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 2:25 And similarly, was not Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she welcomed the messengers and sent them out by another way? 2:26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.
1 tn Grk “James.” The word “From” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.
2 tn 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.
3 tn 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.
4 tn 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.
5 tn Grk “all joy,” “full joy,” or “greatest joy.”
6 tn 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).
7 tn Grk “brother.” Here the term “brother” means “fellow believer” or “fellow Christian” (cf. TEV, NLT “Christians”; CEV “God’s people”). The term broadly connotes familial relationships within the family of God (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 2.a).
8 tn Grk “the lowly brother,” but “lowly/humble” is clarified in context by the contrast with “wealthy” in v. 10.
9 tn Grk “let him boast.”
10 tn Grk “his height,” “his exaltation.”
11 tn Grk “a flower of grass.”
12 tn Or “perishes,” “is destroyed.”
13 tn The word for “man” or “individual” here is ἀνήρ (anhr), which often means “male” or “man (as opposed to woman).” However, as BDAG 79 s.v. 2 says, here it is “equivalent to τὶς someone, a person.”
14 tc Most
15 tn Or “God must not be tested by evil people.”
16 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:2.
17 tn The first phrase refers to the action of giving and the second to what is given.
18 tn Or “All generous giving and every perfect gift from above is coming down.”
19 tn Grk “variation or shadow of turning” (referring to the motions of heavenly bodies causing variations of light and darkness).
20 tn Grk “Having willed, he gave us birth.”
21 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:2.
22 tn The word translated “human” here is ἀνήρ (anhr), which often means “male” or “man (as opposed to woman).” But it sometimes is used generically to mean “anyone,” “a person” (cf. BDAG 79 s.v. 2), and in this context, contrasted with “God’s righteousness,” the point is “human” anger (not exclusively “male” anger).
23 sn God’s righteousness could refer to (1) God’s righteous standard, (2) the righteousness God gives, (3) righteousness before God, or (4) God’s eschatological righteousness (see P. H. Davids, James [NIGTC], 93, for discussion).
24 tn Or “with meekness.”
25 tn The word for “man” or “individual” is ἀνήρ (anhr), which often means “male” or “man (as opposed to woman).” However, as BDAG 79 s.v. 2 says, here it is “equivalent to τὶς someone, a person.”
26 tn Grk “the face of his beginning [or origin].”
27 tn Grk “and he has gone out and immediately has forgotten.”
28 tn Grk “continues.”
29 tn Grk “this one.”
30 tn Grk “in his doing.”
31 tn Or “in the sight of”; Grk “with.”
32 tn Grk “the God and Father.”
33 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:2.
34 tn Or “partiality.”
35 tn Grk “do not have faith with personal prejudice,” with emphasis on the last phrase.
36 tn Grk “our Lord Jesus Christ of glory.” Here δόξης (doxhs) has been translated as an attributive genitive.
37 tn The word for “man” or “individual” here is ἀνήρ (anhr), which often means “male” or “man (as opposed to woman).” But as BDAG 79 s.v. 2 says, “equivalent to τὶς someone.”
38 tn Grk “synagogue.” Usually συναγωγή refers to Jewish places of worship (e.g., Matt 4:23, Mark 1:21, Luke 4:15, John 6:59). The word can be used generally to refer to a place of assembly, and here it refers specifically to a Christian assembly (BDAG 963 s.v. 2.b.).
39 tn Grk “and you pay attention…and say,” continuing the “if” clauses from v. 2. In the Greek text, vv. 2-4 form one long sentence.
40 tn Or “sit here, please.”
41 tn Grk “sit under my footstool.” The words “on the floor” have been supplied in the translation to clarify for the modern reader the undesirability of this seating arrangement (so also TEV, NIV, CEV, NLT). Another option followed by a number of translations is to replace “under my footstool” with “at my feet” (NAB, NIV, NRSV).
42 tn Grk “have you not made distinctions” (as the conclusion to the series of “if” clauses in vv. 2-3).
43 tn Grk “judges of evil reasonings.”
44 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:2.
45 tn This is singular: “the poor person,” perhaps referring to the hypothetical one described in vv. 2-3.
46 tn Grk “that was invoked over you,” referring to their baptism in which they confessed their faith in Christ and were pronounced to be his own. To have the Lord’s name “named over them” is OT imagery for the Lord’s ownership of his people (cf. 2 Chr 7:14; Amos 9:12; Isa 63:19; Jer 14:9; 15:16; Dan 9:19; Acts 15:17).
47 tn Grk “according to the scripture.”
48 sn 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).
49 tn Or “transgressors.”
50 tn Or “stumbles.”
51 tn Grk “guilty of all.”
52 sn A quotation from Exod 20:14 and Deut 5:18.
53 sn A quotation from Exod 20:13 and Deut 5:17.
54 tn Grk “a law of freedom.”
55 tn Grk “boasts against, exults over,” in victory.
56 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:2.
57 tn Grk “the faith,” referring to the kind of faith just described: faith without works. The article here is anaphoric, referring to the previous mention of the noun πίστις (pisti") in the verse. See ExSyn 219.
58 sn The form of the question in Greek expects a negative answer.
59 tn It is important to note that the words ἀδελφός (adelfos) and ἀδελφή (adelfh) both occur in the Greek text at this point, confirming that the author intended to refer to both men and women. See the note on “someone” in 2:2.
60 tn Grk “what is necessary for the body.”
61 tn There is considerable doubt about where the words of the “someone” end and where James’ reply begins. Some see the quotation running to the end of v. 18; others to the end of v. 19. But most punctuate as shown above. The “someone” is then an objector, and the sense of his words is something like, “Some have faith; others have works; don’t expect everyone to have both.” James’ reply is that faith cannot exist or be seen without works.
62 tn Or “from.”
63 tn Grk “you do well.”
64 tn Grk “believe and tremble.” The words “with fear” are implied.
65 tn Grk “do you want to know.”
66 tn Grk “O empty man.” Here the singular vocative ἄνθρωπε (anqrwpe, “man”) means “person” or even “fellow.” Cf. BDAG 82 s.v. ἄνθρωπος 8 which views this as an instance of rhetorical address in a letter; the pejorative sense is also discussed under the previous heading (7).
67 tc Most witnesses, including several important ones (א A C2 P Ψ 33 Ï sy bo), have νεκρά (nekra, “dead”) here, while Ì74 reads κενή (kenh, “empty”). Both variants are most likely secondary, derived from ἀργή (argh, “useless”). The reading of the majority is probably an assimilation to the statements in vv. 17 and 26, while Ì74’s reading picks up on κενέ (kene) earlier in the verse. The external evidence (B C* 323 945 1739 sa) for ἀργή is sufficient for authenticity; coupled with the strong internal evidence for the reading (if νεκρά were original, how would ἀργή have arisen here and not in vv. 17 or 26?), it is strongly preferred.
68 sn A quotation from Gen 15:6.
69 sn An allusion to 2 Chr 20:7; Isa 41:8; 51:2; Dan 3:35 (LXX), in which Abraham is called God’s “beloved.”