Greeting
1 aJames, a bservant1 of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
To the twelve tribes in the cDispersion:
Greetings.
Testing of Your Faith
2 dCount it all joy, my brothers,2 when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you eknow that the ftesting of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be gperfect and hcomplete, lacking in nothing.
5 If any of you lacks iwisdom, let him jask God, who gives generously to all kwithout reproach, and it will be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, lwith no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and mtossed by the wind. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a ndouble-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
9 oLet the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, 10 and the prich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass3 he will pass away. 11 For the qsun rises with its scorching heat and withers the rgrass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.
12 sBlessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the tcrown of life, which God has promised to those who ulove him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being vtempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed wby his own xdesire. 15 Then desire ywhen it has conceived gives birth to sin, and zsin when it is fully grown brings forth death.
16 aDo not be deceived, my beloved brothers. 17 bEvery good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is cno variation or shadow due to change.4 18 Of his own will he dbrought us forth eby the fword of truth, that we should be a kind of gfirstfruits of his creatures.
I Will Sing of the Steadfast Love of the Lord
A Maskil1 of bEthan the Ezrahite.
1 I will sing of the csteadfast love of the Lord forever;
with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations.
2 For I said, “Steadfast love will be built up forever;
din the heavens you will establish your faithfulness.”
3 You have said, e“I have made a covenant with my chosen one;
I have fsworn to David my servant:
4 ‘I will establish your offspring gforever,
and build your throne for all generations.’” Selah
5 Let the hheavens praise your wonders, O Lord,
your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones!
6 For iwho in the skies can be compared to the Lord?
Who among the heavenly beings2 is like the Lord,
7 a God greatly to be feared in the council of the holy ones,
and awesome above all who are around him?
21 dNow when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, ethe heavens were opened, 22 and the fHoly Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, g“You are my hbeloved Son;1 iwith you I am well pleased.”2
