James 1: 2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials ofmany kinds, 3becauseyou know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature andcomplete, not lacking anything. 5If any ofyou lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all withoutfinding fault, and it will be given to him. 6But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he whodoubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; 8he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.
12Blessed is the man whoperseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive thecrown of life that God has promised to those who love him. 13Whentempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot betempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14but eachone is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. 15Then,after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it isfull-grown, gives birth to death. 16Don't bedeceived, my dear brothers. 17Everygood and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of theheavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 18He choseto give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind offirstfruits of all he created.
Listening and Doing
19My dearbrothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speakand slow to become angry, 20for man'sanger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. 21Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is soprevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. 22Do notmerely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.23Anyonewho listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks athis face in a mirror 24and,after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25But theman who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continuesto do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessedin what he does. 26If anyone considers himselfreligious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himselfand his religion is worthless. 27Religionthat God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look afterorphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted bythe world.