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Chapter 13 Concluding Exhortations 1Keep on loving each other as brothers.2Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.3Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.4Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.5Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, 6So we say with confidence, 7Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.8Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. 9Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, not by ceremonial foods, which are of no value to those who eat them.10We have an altar from which those who minister at the tabernacle have no right to eat. 11The high priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place as a sin offering, but the bodies are burned outside the camp.12And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood.13Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore.14For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come. 15Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise–the fruit of lips that confess his name.16And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.17Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you. 18Pray for us. We are sure that we have a clear conscience and desire to live honorably in every way.19I particularly urge you to pray so that I may be restored to you soon. 20May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep,21equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 22Brothers, I urge you to bear with my word of exhortation, for I have written you only a short letter. 23I want you to know that our brother Timothy has been released. If he arrives soon, I will come with him to see you. 24Greet all your leaders and all God's people. Those from Italy send you their greetings. 25Grace be with you all. James Chapter 1 1James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings. Trials and Temptations 2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.5If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.6But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.7That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord;8he is a double–minded man, unstable in all he does.9The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position.10But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower.11For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business. 12Blessed 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. 13When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone;14but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.15Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full–grown, gives birth to death. 16Don't be deceived, my dear brothers.17Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.18He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. Listening and Doing 19My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,20for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.21Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.22Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.23Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror24and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.25But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it–he will be blessed in what he does. 26If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.27Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. Hide Notes
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