2Count it all joy, brothers, whenever you fall into various trials, [1:3] knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance — [1:4] and let endurance have its complete work, so that you may be complete and whole, lacking in nothing. [1:5] Now if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask from God — who gives generously to all without reproach — and it will be given to him. [1:6] But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. [1:7] That person must not think that he will receive anything from the Lord — [1:8] a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. [1:9] Let the lowly brother boast in his high standing, [1:10] and the rich in his humbling, because he will pass away like a flower of the field — [1:11] for the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass, and its flower falls and the beauty of its appearance perishes. So also the rich man will fade in the midst of his pursuits. [1:12] Blessed is the man who endures under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.
JAS 1:2-12
Rejoicing in Trials
In the world it was spoken into
In the Greco-Roman world, trials and hardships were often seen as tests of character, particularly within philosophical schools like Stoicism, which emphasized endurance as a virtue. For Jewish listeners, the concept of trials would resonate with the testing of faith found in stories like Job or Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac. The idea of trials producing endurance and leading to completeness would align with Jewish notions of spiritual maturity and covenantal faithfulness. The metaphor of a doubting person as a wave tossed by the wind would evoke imagery of instability, contrasting with the steadfastness expected of those who trust in God. The call to ask for wisdom without doubting reflects the Jewish understanding of God as generous and unchanging, unlike capricious Greco-Roman deities. The promise of receiving wisdom aligns with Jewish wisdom literature, which portrays wisdom as a divine gift. The double-minded person would be seen as unreliable, lacking the integrity valued in both Jewish and Greco-Roman moral frameworks.
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How other translations render this
JAS 1:2
- KJV
- My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
- BSB
- Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds,
- Koinōnos
- Count it all joy, brothers, whenever you fall into various trials,
JAS 1:3
- KJV
- Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
- BSB
- because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.
- Koinōnos
- knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance —
JAS 1:4
- KJV
- But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
- BSB
- Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
- Koinōnos
- and let endurance have its complete work, so that you may be complete and whole, lacking in nothing.
JAS 1:5
- KJV
- If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
- BSB
- Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
- Koinōnos
- Now if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask from God — who gives generously to all without reproach — and it will be given to him.
JAS 1:6
- KJV
- But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
- BSB
- But he must ask in faith, without doubting, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
- Koinōnos
- But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.
JAS 1:7
- KJV
- For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
- BSB
- That man should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.
- Koinōnos
- That person must not think that he will receive anything from the Lord —
JAS 1:8
- KJV
- A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
- BSB
- He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
- Koinōnos
- a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
JAS 1:9
- KJV
- Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:
- BSB
- The brother in humble circumstances should exult in his high position.
- Koinōnos
- Let the lowly brother boast in his high standing,
JAS 1:10
- KJV
- But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.
- BSB
- But the one who is rich should exult in his low position, because he will pass away like a flower of the field.
- Koinōnos
- and the rich in his humbling, because he will pass away like a flower of the field —
JAS 1:11
- KJV
- For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.
- BSB
- For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its flower falls and its beauty is lost. So too, the rich man will fade away in the midst of his pursuits.
- Koinōnos
- for the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass, and its flower falls and the beauty of its appearance perishes. So also the rich man will fade in the midst of his pursuits.
JAS 1:12
- KJV
- Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
- BSB
- Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.
- Koinōnos
- Blessed is the man who endures under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.
Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.
Translator's notes
JAS 1:2
- trials:The word translated 'trials' here refers to external pressures or adversities that test one's faith, but it can also carry the sense of temptation to do wrong.
JAS 1:3
- testing:The term used here for 'testing' refers to the process of proving the genuineness or quality of something, much like assaying metal to determine its purity.
- endurance;:The word translated 'endurance' describes a steadfast and active perseverance in the face of difficulties, not merely passive resignation or waiting.
JAS 1:4
- [its] perfect:The word translated 'perfect' here means complete, mature, or fully developed, rather than flawless in a moral sense.