A Greeting from James
(Jude 1:1–2)
1James a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes in dispersionsendeth greeting.
Rejoicing in Trials
(Philippians 1:12–20)
2Account it all joy, my brethren, when ye fall into various trials:3knowingthis, that the trial of your faith worketh patience;4but let patience haveit's perfect work, that ye may be entirely perfect, failing in nothing.
5And if any of you lack wisdom, let him askit of God, who giveth to allmen liberally and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him.6But let him ask in faith, nothing doubting; for he that doubteth is like a wave of the sea blown about and tossed by the wind.7Let not that man think that he shall receive any thing from the Lord.8A double-minded manis inconstant in all his ways.
9Let the brotherthat is low rejoice in his exaltation: but the rich in his humiliation,10because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.11For when the sun is risen withit's sultry heat, it drieth up the grass, and the flower of, it falleth, and the beauty of it's appearance is lost: so shall the rich man fade away in his projects.
12Happyis the man who sustaineth temptation; for being approved he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love Him.
Good and Perfect Gifts
13Let no one that is tempted say, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted by evils, and He tempteth no one.14But everyman is tempted,when drawn aside and insnared by his ownvehement desire.15Then desire having conceived bringeth forth sin, and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death.16Be nottherefore deceived, my beloved brethren:for every good gift,17and every perfect gift,but no evil one, is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation, nor shadow of turning:18who hath of his own will begotten us by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first-fruits of his creatures.
Hearing and Doing
19Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:20for the wrath of man doth not practise the righteousness of God.21Laying aside therefore all filthiness, and excess of malice, receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.22But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.23For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like a man beholding his natural face in a mirror,24who beheld himself, and went away, and immediately forgot what manner of man he was.25But he that looketh well into the perfect law of liberty, and continueththerein, being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, thisman shall be blessed in his deed.
26If any among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his heart, this man's devotionis vain.27Pure and uncorrupt religion before God andour Father is this, to take care of orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
