The author of The General Epistle of James, it is generally agreed among scholars, was the brother of Our Lord, to whom he appeared after his resurrection: After that he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. (I Corinthians, 15:7)
To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.1:1
The trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not. . . .1:3–5
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.1:17
Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.1:19–20
Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein . . . this man shall be blessed in his deed.1:22–25
If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.
Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.1:26–27
But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?2:20
The tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.3:8
This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.3:15
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.4:7
Ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.4:14
Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.5:11
The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.5:16