Count It Joy

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, writes to the twelve tribes living far from home. Greetings!

ἸάκωβοςJames θεοῦGod καὶand, also κυρίουlord, Lord, master, sir ἸησοῦJesus Χριστοῦanointed, the Messiah, the Christ δοῦλοςa male slave ταῖςthe δώδεκαtwelve φυλαῖςa tribe, race ταῖςthe ἐνin, by τῇthe διασπορᾷdispersion χαίρειν.I rejoice, am glad

My brothers, when you run into trials of every kind, count it nothing but joy,

Πᾶσανall, the whole, every kind of χαρὰνjoy, gladness ἡγήσασθε,I lead, think ἀδελφοίa brother μου,I ὅτανwhen, whensoever πειρασμοῖςtrial, testing, temptation περιπέσητεI fall into the midst of ποικίλοις,various, of different colors

because you know that when your faith is tested, it produces endurance.

γινώσκοντεςI come to know, learn, realize ὅτιthat τὸthe δοκίμιονa test, trial, what is genuine ὑμῶνyou τῆςthe πίστεωςfaith, trust κατεργάζεταιI work out, produce, accomplish ὑπομονήν·endurance, steadfastness

Let endurance finish its work, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

ἡthe δὲnow, but ὑπομονὴendurance, steadfastness ἔργονwork, labor, action, deed τέλειονperfect, full-grown ἐχέτω,I have, hold, possess ἵναin order that, so that ἦτεto be τέλειοιperfect, full-grown καὶand, also ὁλόκληροι,complete in every part, sound, perfect ἐνin, by μηδενὶno one, nothing λειπόμενοι.I am wanting, am left behind

If any of you is short of wisdom, ask God for it. He gives freely to everyone and never scolds anyone for asking, and he will give it to you.

Εἰif δέnow, but τιςany one, some one ὑμῶνyou λείπεταιI am wanting, am left behind σοφίας,wisdom αἰτείτωI ask, request, beg, petition παρὰthan, beside τοῦthe διδόντοςI offer, give θεοῦGod πᾶσινall, the whole, every kind of ἁπλῶςsimply, sincerely καὶand, also μὴnot ὀνειδίζοντος,I reproach, revile, upbraid καὶand, also δοθήσεταιI offer, give αὐτῷ·he, his, it

But ask with faith and do not waver, because someone who wavers is like an ocean wave, driven and thrown around by the wind.

αἰτείτωI ask, request, beg, petition δὲnow, but ἐνin, by πίστει,faith, trust μηδὲνno one, nothing διακρινόμενος,I distinguish, discern, doubt, hesitate ὁthe γὰρfor διακρινόμενοςI distinguish, discern, doubt, hesitate ἔοικενI am like, resemble κλύδωνιrough water θαλάσσηςthe sea, lake ἀνεμιζομένῳbe driven by the wind καὶand, also ῥιπιζομένῳ·be tossed about

A person like that should not imagine he will get anything from the Lord.

μὴnot γὰρfor οἰέσθωI think, suppose ὁthe ἄνθρωποςa man, one of the human race ἐκεῖνοςthat, that one there, yonder ὅτιthat λήμψεταίI receive, take τιany one, some one παρὰthan, beside τοῦthe κυρίουlord, Lord, master, sir

He is double-minded and unstable in everything he does.

ἀνὴρa male human being, a man δίψυχος,double-minded, wavering ἀκατάστατοςunsettled, unstable ἐνin, by πάσαιςall, the whole, every kind of ταῖςthe ὁδοῖςa way, road, journey αὐτοῦ.he, his, it

The brother who is lowly should be proud of his high position,

ΚαυχάσθωI boast, glory δὲnow, but ὁthe ἀδελφὸςa brother ὁthe ταπεινὸςhumble, lowly ἐνin, by τῷthe ὕψειheight, heaven αὐτοῦ,he, his, it

and the rich should be proud of being brought low, because he will pass away like a wildflower.

ὁthe δὲnow, but πλούσιοςrich ἐνin, by τῇthe ταπεινώσειabasement, low condition αὐτοῦ,he, his, it ὅτιthat ὡςas, like as, how, while, so that ἄνθοςbloom, flower χόρτουgrass, hay παρελεύσεται.I pass by

For the sun rises with its scorching heat and dries up the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty is gone. In the same way the rich man will fade away in the middle of his business.

ἀνέτειλενI make to rise, I rise, shine γὰρfor ὁthe ἥλιοςthe sun, sunlight σὺνwith τῷthe καύσωνιa scorching heat, hot wind καὶand, also ἐξήρανενI dry up, parch, ripen τὸνthe χόρτον,grass, hay καὶand, also τὸthe ἄνθοςbloom, flower αὐτοῦhe, his, it ἐξέπεσενI fall out, fall off, fall away, fade away, wither away καὶand, also ἡthe εὐπρέπειαbeauty, gracefulness τοῦthe προσώπουthe face, countenance, surface αὐτοῦhe, his, it ἀπώλετο·I destroy, lose, am perishing οὕτωςthus, so, in this manner καὶand, also ὁthe πλούσιοςrich ἐνin, by ταῖςthe πορείαιςa journey, pursuit, undertaking αὐτοῦhe, his, it μαρανθήσεται.fade away, wither

Happy is the one who holds out under trial, because when he has stood the test he will be given the crown that is life, which God promised to those who love him.

Μακάριοςhappy, blessed ἀνὴρa male human being, a man ὃςwho, which ὑπομένειI remain behind, endure πειρασμόν,trial, testing, temptation ὅτιthat δόκιμοςapproved, acceptable γενόμενοςto come to be, be made λήμψεταιI receive, take τὸνthe στέφανονa crown, garland τῆςthe ζωῆς,life ὃνwho, which ἐπηγγείλατοI promise, profess τοῖςthe ἀγαπῶσινI love αὐτόν.he, his, it

No one who is tempted should say, 'God is the one tempting me.' Evil cannot tempt God, and God tempts no one.

μηδεὶςno one, nothing πειραζόμενοςI try, tempt, test λεγέτωI say, speak ὅτιthat Ἀπὸfrom, away from θεοῦGod πειράζομαι·I try, tempt, test ὁthe γὰρfor θεὸςGod ἀπείραστόςuntried, inexperienced, incapable of being tempted ἐστινto be κακῶν,bad, evil πειράζειI try, tempt, test δὲnow, but αὐτὸςhe, his, it οὐδένα.no one, none, nothing

Instead, each person is tempted when his own desire drags him off and lures him like bait.

ἕκαστοςeach, every one δὲnow, but πειράζεταιI try, tempt, test ὑπὸby, under, about τῆςthe ἰδίαςone's own, private, personal ἐπιθυμίαςdesire, eagerness for, inordinate desire, lust ἐξελκόμενοςI entice καὶand, also δελεαζόμενος·I allure, entice by a bait

Then desire becomes pregnant and gives birth to sin, and sin, once it has grown up, gives birth to death.

εἶταthen, thereafter, next ἡthe ἐπιθυμίαdesire, eagerness for, inordinate desire, lust συλλαβοῦσαI seize, apprehend, become pregnant τίκτειI bear, bring forth, produce ἁμαρτίαν,a sin ἡthe δὲnow, but ἁμαρτίαa sin ἀποτελεσθεῖσαI complete, accomplish, form fully, perfect ἀποκύειI bring forth, give birth to θάνατον.death

Do not be fooled, my dear brothers.

μὴnot πλανᾶσθε,I lead astray, deceive ἀδελφοίa brother μουI ἀγαπητοί.loved, beloved

Every good gift and every perfect present is from above. It comes down from the Father of lights, who does not change or shift like a moving shadow.

Πᾶσαall, the whole, every kind of δόσιςa giving, gift. ἀγαθὴgood καὶand, also πᾶνall, the whole, every kind of δώρημαa gift, bounty τέλειονperfect, full-grown ἄνωθένfrom above, from the beginning, again ἐστιν,to be καταβαῖνονI go down, come down ἀπὸfrom, away from τοῦthe πατρὸςfather, Father, ancestor τῶνthe φώτων,light, a source of light παρ’than, beside ᾧwho, which οὐκnot ἔνιthere is in, is present παραλλαγὴa change, variation ἢor, than τροπῆςa turning ἀποσκίασμα.a shadow, a faint image or copy

He chose to give us birth by the word of truth, to make us the first sheaf, as it were, of everything he has made.

βουληθεὶςI will, intend, desire ἀπεκύησενI bring forth, give birth to ἡμᾶςI λόγῳa word, speech, divine utterance, analogy ἀληθείας,truth εἰςinto, so that τὸthe εἶναιto be ἡμᾶςI ἀπαρχήνthe first-fruits τιναany one, some one τῶνthe αὐτοῦhe, his, it κτισμάτων.a created thing, creature

Understand this, my dear brothers: everyone must be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger,

Ἴστε,I know, remember ἀδελφοίa brother μουI ἀγαπητοί.loved, beloved ἔστωto be δὲnow, but πᾶςall, the whole, every kind of ἄνθρωποςa man, one of the human race ταχὺςquick, swift εἰςinto, so that τὸthe ἀκοῦσαι,I hear, listen βραδὺςslow εἰςinto, so that τὸthe λαλῆσαι,to speak βραδὺςslow εἰςinto, so that ὀργήν,anger, wrath, passion

because human anger does not produce the righteousness God wants.

ὀργὴanger, wrath, passion γὰρfor ἀνδρὸςa male human being, a man δικαιοσύνηνjustice, justness, righteousness θεοῦGod οὐκnot ἐργάζεται.I word, trade, do

So get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is everywhere, and humbly accept the word planted in you, which is able to save your souls.

διὸwherefore ἀποθέμενοιI lay off or aside, renounce πᾶσανall, the whole, every kind of ῥυπαρίανfilth, pollution καὶand, also περισσείανabundance κακίαςevil, wickedness, malice ἐνin, by πραΰτητιmildness, gentleness δέξασθεI take, receive, accept, welcome τὸνthe ἔμφυτονinborn, ingrown, congenital, natural λόγονa word, speech, divine utterance, analogy τὸνthe δυνάμενονI am powerful, am able σῶσαιI save, heal τὰςthe ψυχὰςthe soul, life, self ὑμῶν.you

But be doers of the word, and not only hearers who deceive themselves.

Γίνεσθεto come to be, be made δὲnow, but ποιηταὶa doer, performer, poet λόγουa word, speech, divine utterance, analogy καὶand, also μὴnot ἀκροαταὶa hearer of, a listener to μόνονonly, solitary, desolate παραλογιζόμενοιI deceive, beguile ἑαυτούς.himself, herself, itself

For anyone who hears the word but does not do it is like a man who looks at his own face in a mirror.

ὅτιthat εἴif τιςany one, some one ἀκροατὴςa hearer of, a listener to λόγουa word, speech, divine utterance, analogy ἐστὶνto be καὶand, also οὐnot ποιητής,a doer, performer, poet οὗτοςthis ἔοικενI am like, resemble ἀνδρὶa male human being, a man κατανοοῦντιI understand, perceive, consider τὸthe πρόσωπονthe face, countenance, surface τῆςthe γενέσεωςbirth, lineage αὐτοῦhe, his, it ἐνin, by ἐσόπτρῳ,a mirror

He looks at himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what he looked like.

κατενόησενI understand, perceive, consider γὰρfor ἑαυτὸνhimself, herself, itself καὶand, also ἀπελήλυθενI come or go away from, depart, return καὶand, also εὐθέωςimmediately, soon ἐπελάθετοI forget, neglect ὁποῖοςof what kind or manner ἦν.to be

But the one who looks closely into the perfect law, the law of freedom, and keeps looking, not forgetting what he heard but doing it, will be blessed in what he does.

ὁthe δὲnow, but παρακύψαςI stoop, peer in, look down εἰςinto, so that νόμονa law, the Mosaic Law τέλειονperfect, full-grown τὸνthe τῆςthe ἐλευθερίαςfreedom, liberty καὶand, also παραμείνας,I remain by, abide with οὐκnot ἀκροατὴςa hearer of, a listener to ἐπιλησμονῆςforgetfulness γενόμενοςto come to be, be made ἀλλὰbut, except ποιητὴςa doer, performer, poet ἔργου,work, labor, action, deed οὗτοςthis μακάριοςhappy, blessed ἐνin, by τῇthe ποιήσειa doing αὐτοῦhe, his, it ἔσται.to be

If anyone thinks he is religious but does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he is deceiving himself, and his religion is worthless.

Εἴif τιςany one, some one δοκεῖI think, seem, appear, it seems θρησκὸςreligious εἶναιto be μὴnot χαλιναγωγῶνI bridle, curb γλῶσσανthe tongue, a language, nation αὐτοῦhe, his, it ἀλλὰbut, except ἀπατῶνI deceive, lead into error καρδίανthe heart, inner life, intention αὐτοῦ,he, his, it τούτουthis μάταιοςvain, unproductive, godless ἡthe θρησκεία.ritual worship, religion

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and spotless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep yourself from being stained by the world.

θρησκείαritual worship, religion καθαρὰclean, pure, unstained καὶand, also ἀμίαντοςundefiled, untainted παρὰthan, beside τῷthe θεῷGod καὶand, also πατρὶfather, Father, ancestor αὕτηthis ἐστίν,to be ἐπισκέπτεσθαιI look upon, visit, look out, select ὀρφανοὺςbereaved, an orphan καὶand, also χήραςa widow ἐνin, by τῇthe θλίψειpersecution, affliction, distress αὐτῶν,he, his, it ἄσπιλονunstained, undefiled ἑαυτὸνhimself, herself, itself τηρεῖνI keep, guard, observe ἀπὸfrom, away from τοῦthe κόσμου.the world, universe