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1. Greetings from James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. To God's people who are scattered all over the world.
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1. James G2385 , a servant G1401 of God G2316 and G2532 of the Lord G2962 Jesus G2424 Christ G5547 , to the G3588 twelve G1427 tribes G5443 which G3588 are scattered abroad G1722 G1290 , greeting G5463 .
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2. My brothers and sisters, you will have many kinds of trouble. But this gives you a reason to be very happy.
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2. My G3450 brethren G80 , count G2233 it all G3956 joy G5479 when G3752 ye fall into G4045 divers G4164 temptations G3986 ;
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3. You know that when your faith is tested, you learn to be patient in suffering.
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3. Knowing G1097 this, that G3754 the G3588 trying G1383 of your G5216 faith G4102 worketh G2716 patience G5281 .
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4. If you let that patience work in you, the end result will be good. You will be mature and complete. You will be all that God wants you to be.
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4. But G1161 let patience G5281 have G2192 her perfect G5046 work G2041 , that G2443 ye may be G5600 perfect G5046 and G2532 entire G3648 , wanting G3007 nothing G3367 .
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5. Do any of you need wisdom? Ask God for it. He is generous and enjoys giving to everyone. So he will give you wisdom.
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5. G1161 If G1487 any G5100 of you G5216 lack G3007 wisdom G4678 , let him ask G154 of G3844 God G2316 , that giveth G1325 to all G3956 men liberally G574 , and G2532 upbraideth G3679 not G3361 ; and G2532 it shall be given G1325 him G846 .
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6. But when you ask God, you must believe. Don't doubt him. Whoever doubts is like a wave in the sea that is blown up and down by the wind.
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6. But G1161 let him ask G154 in G1722 faith G4102 , nothing G3367 wavering G1252 . For G1063 he that wavereth G1252 is like G1503 a wave G2830 of the sea G2281 driven with the wind G416 and G2532 tossed G4494 .
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7. People like that are thinking two different things at the same time. They can never decide what to do. So they should not think they will receive anything from the Lord.
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7. For G1063 let not G3361 that G1565 man G444 think G3633 that G3754 he shall receive G2983 any thing G5100 of G3844 the G3588 Lord G2962 .
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8. A double minded G1374 man G435 is unstable G182 in G1722 all G3956 his G848 ways G3598 .
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9. Believers who are poor should be glad that God considers them so important.
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9. G1161 Let the G3588 brother G80 of low degree G5011 rejoice G2744 in G1722 that he G848 is exalted G5311 :
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10. Believers who are rich should be glad when bad things happen that humble them. Their riches won't keep them from disappearing as quickly as wildflowers.
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10. But G1161 the G3588 rich G4145 , in G1722 that he G848 is made low G5014 : because G3754 as G5613 the flower G438 of the grass G5528 he shall pass away G3928 .
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11. As the sun rises and gets hotter, its heat dries up the plants, and the flowers fall off. The flowers that were so beautiful are now dead. That's how it is with the rich. While they are still making plans for their business, they will die.
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11. For G1063 the G3588 sun G2246 is no sooner risen G393 with G4862 a burning heat G2742 , but G2532 it withereth G3583 the G3588 grass G5528 , and G2532 the G3588 flower G438 thereof G846 falleth G1601 , and G2532 the G3588 grace G2143 of the G3588 fashion G4383 of it G846 perisheth G622 : so G3779 also G2532 shall the G3588 rich man G4145 fade away G3133 in G1722 his G848 ways G4197 .
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12. What great blessings there are for those who are tempted and remain faithful! After they have proved their faith, God will give them the crown of eternal life. God promised this to all people who love him.
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12. Blessed G3107 is the man G435 that G3739 endureth G5278 temptation G3986 : for G3754 when he is G1096 tried G1384 , he shall receive G2983 the G3588 crown G4735 of life G2222 , which G3739 the G3588 Lord G2962 hath promised G1861 to them that love G25 him G846 .
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13. Whenever you feel tempted to do something bad, you should not say, "God is tempting me." Evil cannot tempt God, and God himself does not tempt anyone.
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13. Let no man G3367 say G3004 when he is tempted G3985 , I am tempted G3985 of G575 God G2316 : for G1063 God G2316 cannot be tempted G2076 G551 with evil G2556 , neither G1161 tempteth G3985 he G848 any man G3762 :
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14. You are tempted by the evil things you want. Your own desire leads you away and traps you.
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14. But G1161 every man G1538 is tempted G3985 , when he is drawn away G1828 of G5259 his own G2398 lust G1939 , and G2532 enticed G1185 .
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15. Your desire grows inside you until it results in sin. Then the sin grows bigger and bigger and finally ends in death.
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15. Then G1534 when lust G1939 hath conceived G4815 , it bringeth forth G5088 sin G266 : and G1161 sin G266 , when it is finished G658 , bringeth forth G616 death G2288 .
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16. My dear brothers and sisters, don't be fooled about this.
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16. Do not G3361 err G4105 , my G3450 beloved G27 brethren G80 .
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17. Everything good comes from God. Every perfect gift is from him. These good gifts come down from the Father who made all the lights in the sky. But God never changes like the shadows from those lights. He is always the same.
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17. Every G3956 good G18 gift G1394 and G2532 every G3956 perfect G5046 gift G1434 is G2076 from above G509 , and cometh down G2597 from G575 the G3588 Father G3962 of lights G5457 , with G3844 whom G3739 is G1762 no G3756 variableness G3883 , neither G2228 shadow G644 of turning G5157 .
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18. God decided to give us life through the true message he sent to us. He wanted us to be the most important of all that he created.
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18. Of his own will G1014 begat G616 he us G2248 with the word G3056 of truth G225 , that we G2248 should be G1511 a kind G5100 of firstfruits G536 of his G848 creatures G2938 .
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19. My dear brothers and sisters, always be more willing to listen than to speak. Keep control of your anger.
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19. Wherefore G5620 , my G3450 beloved G27 brethren G80 , let every G3956 man G444 be G2077 swift G5036 to hear G191 , slow G1021 to speak G2980 , slow G1021 to G1519 wrath G3709 :
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20. Anger does not help you live the way God wants.
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20. For G1063 the wrath G3709 of man G435 worketh G2716 not G3756 the righteousness G1343 of God G2316 .
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21. So get rid of everything evil in your lives�every kind of wrong you do. Be humble and accept God's teaching that is planted in your hearts. This teaching can save you.
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21. Wherefore G1352 lay apart G659 all G3956 filthiness G4507 and G2532 superfluity G4050 of naughtiness G2549 , and receive G1209 with G1722 meekness G4240 the G3588 engrafted G1721 word G3056 , which is able G1410 to save G4982 your G5216 souls G5590 .
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22. Do what God's teaching says; don't just listen and do nothing. When you only sit and listen, you are fooling yourselves.
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22. But G1161 be G1096 ye doers G4163 of the word G3056 , and G2532 not G3361 hearers G202 only G3440 , deceiving G3884 your own selves G1438 .
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23. Hearing God's teaching and doing nothing is like looking at your face in the mirror
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23. For G3754 if any G1536 be G2076 a hearer G202 of the word G3056 , and G2532 not G3756 a doer G4163 , he G3778 is like unto G1503 a man G435 beholding G2657 his G846 natural G1078 face G4383 in G1722 a glass G2072 :
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24. and doing nothing about what you saw. You go away and immediately forget how bad you looked.
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24. For G1063 he beholdeth G2657 himself G1438 , and G2532 goeth his way G565 , and G2532 straightway G2112 forgetteth G1950 what manner of man G3697 he was G2258 .
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25. But when you look into God's perfect law that sets people free, pay attention to it. If you do what it says, you will have God's blessing. Never just listen to his teaching and forget what you heard.
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25. But G1161 whoso looketh G3879 into G1519 the perfect G5046 law G3551 of G3588 liberty G1657 , and G2532 continueth G3887 therein, he G3778 being G1096 not G3756 a forgetful G1953 hearer G202 , but G235 a doer G4163 of the work G2041 , this man G3778 shall be G2071 blessed G3107 in G1722 his G848 deed G4162 .
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26. You might think you are a very religious person. But if your tongue is out of control, you are fooling yourself. Your careless talk makes your offerings to God worthless.
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26. If any man G1536 among G1722 you G5213 seem G1380 to be G1511 religious G2357 , and bridleth G5468 not G3361 his G848 tongue G1100 , but G235 deceiveth G538 his own G848 heart G2588 , this man G5127 's religion G2356 is vain G3152 .
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27. The worship that God wants is this: caring for orphans or widows who need help and keeping yourself free from the world's evil influence. This is the kind of worship that God accepts as pure and good.
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27. Pure G2513 religion G2356 and G2532 undefiled G283 before G3844 God G2316 and G2532 the Father G3962 is G2076 this G3778 , To visit G1980 the fatherless G3737 and G2532 widows G5503 in G1722 their G846 affliction G2347 , and to keep G5083 himself G1438 unspotted G784 from G575 the G3588 world G2889 .
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