4 not grievous. For, whatever has been born of God overcometh the world; and this is the victory which overcometh the world, 5 our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who

6

believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

This is he who has come by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood; and the Spirit is 7 He who testifies, inasmuch as the Spirit is truth. For there are three who testify in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the 8 Holy Spirit; and these three are one. And there are three 9 who testify on earth, the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree in one. If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater.

10

Moreover, this is the testimony of God, which he hath testified respecting his own Son (He who believes on the Son of God hath the testimony in himself; he who believes not God, makes him a liar, because he hath not believed the testimony 11 which God hath testified respecting his own Son,) even this is the testimony, that God hath given to us eternal life; and this 12 life is in his Son. He who hath the Son, hath life; he who hath not the Son of God, hath not life.

13

These things have I written to you who believe on the name of the Son of God, that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son 14 of God. And this is the confidence which we have towards Him, that when we ask anything according to his will, he 15 heareth us and if we know that he hears us when we ask any thing, we know that we have the petitions which we have desired of him.

16 If any one see his brother sinning a sin not to death, he shall ask, and he will give to him life for him who sins not to death there is a sin to death, I do not say that any one shall 17 pray for that. Every unrighteousness is sin; and there is a 18 sin not to death. We know that every one who has been born of God, sins not; but he who has been born of God, keeps himself, and the wicked one touches him not.

19 We know that we are of God; and the whole world lieth in 20 the wicked one. And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given to us an understanding, that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ: this is the true God and eternal life.

21

Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

1

2

THE EPISTLE OF JAMES.

CHAPTER I.

JAMES, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are in the dispersion, health:

Count it all joy, my brethren, when ye fall into various 3 temptations; knowing that the trying of your faith works 4 patience but let patience have its perfect work, so that ye may be perfect and entire, in nothing deficient.

5

doubting; for he who

But if any of you be deficient in wisdom, let him ask it from God, who giveth to all freely, and does not upbraid: and it G shall be given to him. But let him ask in faith, by no means doubts, is like a wave of the sea, which 7 by the wind is driven and tossed to and fro. Let not, then, that man think that he shall receive anything from the Lord. 8 A man of a double mind is unstable in all his ways.

9

Now, let a brother who is low, rejoice in his exaltation; 10 and the rich, in his lowness: because as a flower of grass shall 11 he pass away: for the sun rises with heat and withers the grass, and the flower falls, and the beauty of its appearance perishes; so also shall the rich fade away in his riches.

12

Blessed is the man, who endures temptation; for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them who love him.

13 Let no one, when he is tempted, say, "By God I am tempted:" for God cannot be tempted by evils, nor does he 14 tempt any one. But every one is tempted, when be is drawn 15 away by his own lusts, and is ensnared. Then lust, having

conceived, brings forth sin; and sin, being perfected, begets death.

16 Do not err, my beloved brethren: Every good gift and every 17 perfect gift is from above, descending from the Father of

lights, with whom there is no change nor shadow of turning. 18 Of his own will has he begotten us by the word of truth, that 19 we might be some firstfruits of his creatures. Let every man, therefore, my beloved brethren, be swift to hear, slow to 20 speak, slow to wrath: for the wrath of man worketh not the 21 righteousness of God. Laying aside then all filthiness and redundancy of wickedness, receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

22

And be ye doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving 23 yourselves. For if any one be a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks on his natural face in a glass; 24 for he hath looked on himself and departed, and hath imme

But he who

25 diately forgotten what manner of man he was. attentively looks on the perfect law of liberty and continues to do so, this man, being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, shall be blessed in his work.

26

If any one seems to be religious among you and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, his religion is vain. 27 Pure religion and undefiled before God even the Father, is this, To visit the orphans and widows in their affliction, to keep himself unspotted from the world.

1

CHAPTER II.

My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 with respect of persons on account of reputation. For if there enter into your assembly a man wearing gold rings, having on a splendid dress, and there enter in also a poor man in sordid 3 clothing; and ye have respect to him who wears a splendid dress, and say to him, "Sit thou here honourably," and ye say to the poor, "Stand thou there," or, "Sit here under my foot4 stool;" are ye not condemned in yourselves, and become judges 5 of evil thoughts? Hear, my beloved brethren, Has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them who love Him? 6 But ye have despised the poor. Do not the rich domineer 7 over you, and draw you before judgment-seats? Do they not blaspheme the good name which is called on you?

8

If indeed ye fulfil the royal law, according to Scripture, 9 "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself," ye do well: but if ye respect persons, ye commit sin, and are reproved by the 10 law as transgressors. For whosoever shall keep the whole 11 law, and yet offend in one thing, becomes guilty of all for he who hath said, "Thou shalt not commit adultery," hath said also, "Thou shalt not kill." Now if thou committest no adultery, yet if thou killest, thou becomest a transgressor of the 12 law. So speak ye and so do, as those who shall be judged by 13 the law of liberty. For judgment will be without mercy to him who hath not shewed mercy; and mercy glorieth against judgment.

14 What does it avail, my brethren, if any one say that he hath 15 faith, and have not works? Can faith save him? Now, if a 16 brother or a sister be naked and in want of daily bread, and one of you say to them, "Go away in peace, be warmed and be filled;" though ye give them not those things which are 17 necessary for the body, what does it avail? Even so faith, if 18 it hath no works, being by itself, is dead. Nay, rather, one may say, "Thou hast faith and I have works; shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will by my works shew thee

19 my faith." Thon believest that there is one God; thou doest 20 right: the devils also believe and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

21

Abraham our father, was he not justified by works, when 22 he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? Seest thou that faith co-operated with his works, and faith was by works made 23 perfect? And fulfilled was the Scripture which saith, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteous24 ness" and he was called the Friend of God. Ye then see, 25 that by works is man justified, and not by faith only. In like

manner also Rahab the harlot, was not she justified by works, when she received the messengers, and sent them forth another 26 way? For as the body without the soul is dead, so also faith without works is dead.

CHAPTER III.

1 Be not many masters, my brethren, knowing that we shall 2 receive greater judgment: for in many things we all offend.

If any one offend not in word, he is a perfect man, as one who 3 can bridle also the whole body. Behold, we put bridles in horses' mouths, that they may obey us, and we turn about 4 their whole body. Behold also the ships, however large they may be and driven by fierce winds, yet they are turned about by a very small helm wherever the will of the pilot wishes. 5 So also the tongue is a very small member and boasts great things.

6

Behold, a little fire, what quantity of wood it burns! And the tongue is a fire, and a world of iniquity. So is the tongue among our members; it defiles the whole body and sets on fire 7 the whole course of nature, and it is set on fire by hell. For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind: 8 but the tongue no man can tame, an unrestrainable evil, full of 9 deadly poison. By it we bless God, even the Father; and by 10 it we curse men made after his likeness! From the same mouth proceeds blessing and cursing! These things, my Does a fountain from the same 12 opening send forth the sweet and the bitter? Can a fig-tree, my brethren, bear olive-berries; or a vine, figs? so no fountain can bring forth briny and sweet water.

11 brethren, ought not to be so.

13 Who is wise and intelligent among you? Let him shew by 14 a good conduct his works with meekness of wisdom. But if ye have bitter emulation and contention in your heart, glory 15 not, and lie not against the truth. This is not the wisdom 16 which comes from above, but earthly, animal, demoniacal: for

where emulation and contention are, there is confusion and

17 every evil work. But the wisdom which is from above, is first pure, then peaceable, humane, tractable, full of mercy and 18 of good works, not officiously prying, not dissembling and the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

1

CHAPTER IV.

Whence wars and fightings among you? are they not 2 hence, from your lusts which war in your members? Ye covet and have not; ye envy and emulate, and cannot obtain ; 3 ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye do not ask; ye ask and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may spend it on your lusts.

4

Adulterers and adulteresses! know ye not, that the friendship of the world is enmity to God? Whosoever then will 5 be a friend of the world, becomes the enemy of God. Do ye think that the Scripture speaks in vain? Does the Spirit 6 who dwells in us, lust to envy? Nay, he giveth more grace : hence He saith, God resists the proud, but giveth grace to the humble.

7

Be ye then subject to God; resist the devil and he will flee 8 from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you: cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye 9 double-minded. Be afflicted and mourn and weep; let your 10 laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to sorrow.

humbled before God, and he will exalt you.

Be

11 Defame not one another, brethren; he who defames a brother and judges his brother, defames the law and judges the law; but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the 12 law, but a judge. One is the lawgiver, who can save and destroy; who art thou who judgest another?

13

Come now ye who say, "To-day, or, to-morrow, we shall go into the city and pass there a year, and trade and make 14 gain" who know not what is to be to-morrow; for what is your life? It is indeed a vapour, which for a short time ap15 pears, and then vanishes away. On the contrary ye ought to say, "If the Lord will, and we live, we shall do this or that." But now ye glory in your presumptions: all such glorying is evil. He then who knows to do good and doeth it not, is guilty of sin.

CHAPTER V.

Come now ye rich, weep and howl for your miseries, which 2 shall come upon you. Your riches are become rotten, and your garments are eaten by moths; your gold and silver are 3 rusted, and their rust will be a witness against you, and shall