A New Translation of the Letter from
James
(Jacob)
Based on the Westcott and Hort Text of 1881 with references to the Papyrus fragments of the Chester Beatty collections, c. 3rd Century A.D. and the Sinaitic Manuscript of the 4th Century.
Some notes on this translation:
Jacob vs. James: The man who wrote this epistle was Jacob, the head of the Jerusalem church. The King James translators altered his name to James to flatter the King of England. (James is the English form of the Gaelic Seumas [pronounced “shame us”].) Although no one in the Bible is actually named James or Seumas, other English versions followed suit, and thus, two of the Apostles have come to be known as James. To change it back to Jacob now would undoubtedly result in much confusion, so we have left the name as James, with Jacob in parentheses.
Thou vs. YOU: Many people today have a hard time understanding the Elizabethan usage of thou, thee, thy, etc. For this reason, we have chosen to avoid this archaic language. At the same time, we need to be able to fulfill the purpose of those words, which was to distinguish between a singular you and a plural YOU. Following the example of other translations, we have used all capital letters to indicate plural (more than one person addressed), and small letters to indicate singular (one person addressed).
Words in italics: Following the example of other translations, we have used italics for words that are not in the original text, but which are essential to the sense of the original when translated into English. Unlike other translations, however, we have NOT added words which alter the meaning of the original.
Words in (parentheses): These are not part of the biblical text, but are notes of explanation from the translator.
Perfect vs. Complete: Many English versions use the word “perfect” both as a verb and as an adjective, to translate a particular Greek root. We have also used it occasionally, but it should be understood as perfect in the sense of “complete” and not in the sense of “without flaw.”
James (Jacob) 1
1 James (Jacob), a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes that are in the Diaspora (i.e., the dispersion, when Rome dispersed the Jews around the known world): Greetings!
2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when YOU fall into various trials;
3 Knowing that the proving of YOUR faith results in endurance.
4 And let endurance have its perfect work, that YOU may be perfect and whole, lacking in nothing.
5 But if any of YOU is lacking wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all bountifully and does not taunt; and it will be given to him.
6 But let him ask in faith, nothing doubting: for the one who doubts is like the surge of the sea driven by the wind and tossed about.
7 For let that man not think that he will receive anything from the Lord,
8 a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
9 But let the brother of low estate glory in his elevation:
10 and the rich, in his being made low: because as the flower of the garden he shall pass away.
11 For the sun rose with burning heat, and it dried up the garden: and its flower dropped off, and the gracefulness of its appearance perished: so also shall the rich fade away in his goings.
12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for having been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which he promised to those who love him.
13 Let no one being tempted say, I am being tempted by God; for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one:
14 but each one is tempted, being drawn out and entrapped by his own desire.
15 Next, the desire, having conceived, gives birth to sin, and the sin, when it is finished, will give birth to (literally, “is pregnant with”) death.
16 Make no mistake, my beloved brethren.
17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is neither changeability, nor shadow cast by turning.
18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, to be some of the firstfruits of his creatures.
19 Know this, my beloved brethren. But let every man be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
20 for the wrath of man does not work the righteousness of God.
21 Therefore putting away all filthiness and abundance of wickedness, receive with mildness the implanted word, which is able to save YOUR souls.
22 But become doers of the word, and not hearers only, deluding YOURSELVES.
23 Because if any one is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man looking at his natural face in a mirror:
24 for he saw himself, and went away, and immediately forgot what sort of man he was.
25 But the one who peers into the perfect law of liberty, and continues, not being a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this man will be blessed in his doing.
26 If anyone thinks himself to be pious, while not bridling his tongue but deceiving his heart, this man's religion is empty (i.e., profitless or in vain).
27 Religion that is clean and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the orphans and widows in their tribulation, keeping oneself unspotted from the world.
James (Jacob) 2
1 My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord of glory, Jesus Christ, with respect of persons.
2 For if a man with a gold ring, in radiant clothing, comes into YOUR synagogue, but a poor man in filthy clothing also comes in,
3 and YOU look at the one wearing the radiant clothing, and say, ‘Sit here in a good place;’ and YOU say to the poor one, ‘You stand, or sit there under my footstool;’
4 weren’t YOU discriminating among YOURSELVES, and have become judges with evil reasonings?
5 Hear me, my beloved brethren; didn’t God choose those who are poor to the world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to those who love him?
6 But YOU dishonored the poor one. Don’t the rich oppress YOU, and drag YOU into the courts? (literally, “judgment places”)
7 Don’t they blaspheme the good name which was called over YOU?
8 However if YOU carry out the royal law according to the scripture, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself,’ YOU are doing well:
9 but if YOU have respect of persons, YOU commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors.
10 For whoever will keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he has become guilty of all.
11 For the one who said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if you don’t commit adultery, but you kill, you have become a transgressor of the law.
12 So speak, and so do, as those who are to be judged by a law of liberty.
13 For judgment is not merciful to the one who has not shown mercy: mercy boasts against judgment.
14 What benefit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith, but has no works? Faith is not able to save him. (Some translations word this as a question; the Greek could be read either way.)
15 If a brother or sister is naked and lacking daily food,
16 and one of YOU say to them, Go in peace, be warmed and filled; and but YOU don’t give them the things needful to the body, what benefit?
17 So also faith, if it does not have works, is dead in itself.
18 But one of YOU will say, You have faith, and I have works: Show me your faith without works, and I will show you faith by my works.
19 You believe that God is one; you are doing well: the demons also believe, and shudder.
20 But are you willing to know, O vain man, that faith without works is useless?
21 Wasn’t our father Abraham justified by works, having offered up Isaac his son on the altar?
22 You see that faith worked together with his works, and by the works the faith was made perfect;
23 and the scripture was fulfilled which says, ‘And Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness; and he was called the friend of God.’
24 YOU see that by works a man is justified, and not by faith alone.
25 And likewise wasn’t Rahab the prostitute also justified by works, having received the messengers, and sent them out another way?
26 Just as the body without a spirit is dead, even so faith without works is dead.
James (Jacob) 3
1 Don’t many of YOU become teachers, my brethren, knowing that we shall receive greater judgment.
2 For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, this is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body also.
3 Now if we put the horses' bridles into their mouths that they obey us, we turn about their whole body also.
4 See, also the boats, being so big and driven by hard winds, are turned about by a very small rudder, wherever the impulse of the helmsman wishes.
5 So the tongue also is a little member, and brags great things. See how much forest is kindled by so small a fire!
6 And the tongue is a fire: the tongue constitutes the world of unrighteousness among our members, which stains the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature, and is set on fire by hell (i.e., Gehenna).
7 For every kind of wild animal and birds, of creeping things and things in the sea, is tamed, and has been tamed by mankind.
8 But no man can tame the tongue, an unstable evil, full of deadly poison.
9 With it we bless the Lord and Father; and with it we curse men, who are made in the likeness of God:
10 out of the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brethren, there is no need for these things to be so.
11 Does any fountain bubble up sweet and bitter from the same opening?
12 My brethren, can a fig tree makes olives, or a vine figs? Neither can salt make water sweet.
13 Who is wise and understanding among YOU? Let him, by his good conduct, show his works with mildness of wisdom.
14 But if YOU have bitter jealousy and contentiousness in YOUR heart, do not boast and lie against the truth.
15 For this is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic.
16 For where jealousy and contentiousness are, there is confusion and every foul thing.
17 But the wisdom from above is first clean, then peaceable, yielding, obedient, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, without hypocrisy.
18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace.
James (Jacob) 4
1 From what source are wars and from what source are fights among YOU? Aren’t they from YOUR pleasures that wage war in YOUR members?
2 YOU desire, but don’t have: YOU kill, and are jealous, and cannot obtain: YOU fight and wage war; YOU don’t have, because YOU don’t ask.
3 YOU ask, and don’t receive, because YOU ask for evil, that YOU might spend on YOUR pleasures.
4 Adulteresses, don’t YOU know that the friendship of the world is hostility with God? Therefore whoever would wish to be a friend of the world designates himself an enemy of God.
5 Or do YOU think that the scripture speaks in vain? Is the spirit which dwells in us craving for ill will?
6 But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, God opposes the haughty, but gives grace to the humble.
7 Be subjected, therefore, to God; but stand against the devil, and he will flee from YOU.
8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to YOU. Cleanse YOUR hands, sinners; and purify YOUR hearts, YOU double-minded.
9 Be wretched, and mourn, and weep: let YOUR laughter be turned to mourning, and joy to a downcast look.
10 Humble YOURSELVES in the sight of the Lord, and he will exalt YOU.
11 Do not speak against one another, brethren. The one who speaks against a brother, or judges his brother, speaks against the law, and judges the law: but if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law, but a judge.
12 One is lawgiver and judge, the one who is able to save and to destroy: but you, who are you who judges a neighbor?
13 Come on now, YOU who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go into this city, and spend a year there, and do business, and make a profit:’
14 when YOU don’t know what YOUR life will be tomorrow. For YOU are a mist, that appearing for a little time, and then disappearing.
15 YOU ought to say instead, If the Lord is willing, we shall also live, and do this or that.
16 But now YOU are boasting in YOUR pride (literally “braggadocio”): all such boasting is evil.
17 Therefore, to one knowing to do good, but not doing it, to him it is sin.
James (Jacob) 5
1 Come on now, YOU rich, weep, howling over YOUR miseries that are coming upon YOU.
2 YOUR riches have rotted, and YOUR garments are moth-eaten.
3 YOUR gold and silver are corroded; and their rust will be a testimony against YOU, and will eat YOUR flesh. YOU have laid up treasure like a fire in the last days.
4 See, the salaries of the workers who harvested YOUR lands, which YOU have not paid, cry out: and the cries of those who harvested have entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth (from Hebrew “Lord of tsva’ot,” that is, “Lord of hosts” or “Lord of armies”).
5 YOU lived in luxury on the earth, and lived in pleasure; YOU fattened YOUR hearts for a day of slaughter.
6 YOU condemned, YOU killed the righteous one; Isn’t he standing against YOU?
7 Be patient therefore, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient over it, until it receive the early and latter rain.
8 YOU be patient also; set YOUR hearts steadfast, because the coming of the Lord is at hand.
9 Do not murmur against one another, brethren, that YOU might not be judged: Look, the judge stands at the doors.
10 Take, brethren, for an example of suffering evil and of patience, the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
11 See, we call ‘blessed’ those who endured: YOU have heard of the endurance of Job, and have seen the result of the Lord, how that the Lord is very compassionate, and merciful.
12 But above all things, my brethren, do not swear (i.e., take an oath), neither by the heaven, nor by the earth, nor by any other oath: but let YOUR yes be yes, and YOUR no, no; that YOU do not fall under judgment.
13 Is any among YOU suffering hardship? Let him pray. Is any cheerful? Let him sing psalms.
14 Is any among YOU sick? Let him call the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
15 and the prayer of faith will save the wearied one, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he has committed sins, it will be forgiven him.
16 Confess therefore YOUR sins to one another, and pray over one another, that YOU might be healed. The supplication of a righteous person has much strength in its working.
17 Elijah was a man of similar passions to us, and he prayed a prayer that it not rain; and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months.
18 And he prayed again; and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth its fruit.
19 My brethren, if any among YOU err from the truth, and anyone turns him around,
20 know that the one who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.