1:1 Ya'akov, a servant of Yehovah and of the Master Yehoshua Messiah, to the twelve tribes which are scattered in all the places1: firstly, joy
1:2 My beloved brothers, consider it as joy when you fall into a trial.
1:3 And know that your belief, when it is complete, makes longsuffering.
1:4 But the longsuffering must be unto the end, so that you may be with fullness and nothing be lacking from you.
1:5 But if there is one among you who lacks wisdom, he must pray for it of Yehovah, who gives to every man, and He Himself will also give it to him.
1:6 But he must pray in belief,and not in doubting. For the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, being driven by wind and being tossed;
1:7 for do not let that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Almighty;
1:8 And he who is doubtful is without knowledge in all his ways. (Ps 40:4)
1:9 But a brother who is low, is able to boast with his exaltation;
1:10 while the rich one must boast with his lowness, for like the flower of the field he will dry up:
1:11 And like a flower he comes out, then withers, and he runs away like a shadow and does not remain standing. (Job. 14:2)
1:12 And Blessed is the man whom Elohim chastens, so do not refuse the discipline of Shaddai,” for after the chastisements you will receive the crown of life, which Yehovah promised to those who love Him.
1:13 Let no one being tempted say, I am tempted from Yehovah. For Yehovah is not tempted by evil, and He tempts no one.
1:14 But each one is tempted by his own lusts, he covets and is seduced by them.
1:15 Then having conceived lust brings forth sin. And sin being fully formed brings forth death2.
1:16 Do not go astray, my beloved brothers.
1:17 Every good gift comes from above, from the light of the Father; and with him there is no change, nor alteration of light and darkness.
1:18 And He was shown to us according to his will, by the word of truth, so that we can be first fruits of His creation.
1:19 Because of this, beloved brothers, all the sons of man must be quick to listen; but not to speak and not to anger.
1:20 For the anger of the sons of man does not do that which is good before Yehovah.
1:21 Wherefore, remove far from you all impurity, and the abundance of wickedness; and, with meekness, receive the word that is implanted in our nature, being able to save your souls.
1:22 But you must be of those who do the word and not of those who hear only, by which they deceive you.3.
1:23 For if one is he who hears the word, but does not do it, he is like a man who sees himself in the mirrors of the serving women.
1:24 For after he saw himself, he goes away from it, and forgets what he saw.
1:25 But whosoever sees with fullness into the law of joy, and establishes it, and does not forget what he heard, but does it, this one will be blessed in all his deeds.4.
1:26 However, if one among you thinks by himself that he serves Yehovah, but does not keep his tongue with a bridle, but deceives his heart, this service of Yehovah is not good.
1:27 But the pure service, without lack before Yehovah the Father, is this: he who goes to visit the fatherless ones and the widows in their distresses.
2:1 Beloved brothers, do not think that the belief in Yehoshua Messiah our Master respects persons.
2:2 For if a gold-fingered man in splendid clothing comes into your house of assembly, and a poor one in shabby clothing also comes in;
2:3 and you look on the one wearing the splendid clothing, and say to him, You sit here comfortably; and to the poor one you say, You stand there, or, Sit here under my footstool.
2:4 Then they will not look justly on this poor one, but you will be judges who9 make a bad division
2:5 Hear, my beloved brothers, did not Yehovah choose the poor of this world who are rich in belief, and possessors of the promise which He promised to those who love Him?
2:6 But you dishonored the poor one. Do not the rich ones oppress you, and they drag you before the judgment seat?
2:7 Do they not blaspheme the good Name called on you5?
2:8 If you perform the law as it is written in the Torah, but you must love your fellow as yourself, you do well. (Lev. 19:18)
2:9 But if you have respect of men, you commit sin; and you are convicted by the Torah, as transgressors of the Torah.
2:10 For if one establishes the whole Torah, all of it, but sins against one command, he is guilty of the whole6. (Deut. 27:26)
2:11 For He who said, You shall not commit adultery, also said, You shall not murder. But if you do not commit adultery, but commit murder, you have become a transgressor of the torah. (Ex. 20:14, 13; Deut. 5:18, 17; Deut 27:26)
2:12 Because of this, you must speak and do as those who will be judged by the law – with joy.
2:13 But severe judgment will come on him who did not perform mercy; for the mercy boasts against the judgment.
2:14 My brothers, what is the gain if anyone says he has belief, but he does not have works 7? For this belief does not have the ability to sanctify him!
2:15 But if a brother or a sister is naked and may be lacking in daily food,
2:16 and one of you speak words of comfort to them: May Yehovah give you to gratification, but he does not give them anything to profit the body, what profit will they have by these words?
2:17 So also belief, if it does not have the works, is dead being by itself.
2:18 Truly, one is able to say, You have the belief; but I have the works. Bear me witness of your belief with your works; I am also bearing witness to you of my belief, for I have works.
2:19 You believe that Yehovah is One (echad). You do well; even the demons believe and they tremble.
2:20 But do you want to know that the belief without works is dead?
2:21 Was not our father Abraham justified by his works, when he brought his son as an offering on the altar? (Gen. 22:9)
2:22 And by this, you yourself are able to see that the belief worked with his works, and by the works, the belief was made complete.
2:23 And by this the Torah was fulfilled, which is said, And Abraham believed Yehovah, and it was reckoned for righteousness to him; and he was called, Friend of Yehovah. (Gen. 15:6; Isa. 41:8)
2:24 And now you are able to see that man is justified by the works, and not only by the belief.
2:25 But in the same way Rahab the prostitute was also justified by the works, when she received the spies and hid them.
2:26 For as the body is dead apart from the ruach, so also belief without works is dead.
3:1 Beloved brothers, not every one of you must be an expert teacher, and know that the punishment will be greater.
3:2 For we sin in many words. But he who does not sin in any word, he is a set-apart man, and able to [bridle] the whole body 8.
3:3 Look, we put bits in the mouths of the horses, for them to obey us; and we turn about their whole body.
3:4 Look, the ships also, being so great, and being driven by violent winds, they are directed by a very small rudder, wherever the one steering wishes.
3:5 So also the tongue is a little member, and boasts great things. Look, how a little fire sets ablaze large forests!
3:6 Now the tongue is a fire, and the world of sin is like a forest. And this very tongue, while it is among our members, can defile our entire body; and rolls down like a wheel and set on fire the course of our entire life; and in the end it is consumed by fire.
3:7 For the nature of all the animals, and the birds, and the serpents, which are on the dry land or in the sea, is like the nature of man.;
3:8 but no one of men is able to tame the tongue; it is evil, full of death-dealing poison.
3:9 By this we bless Yehovah, even the Father; and by this we curse men having come into being according to the image of Elohim.9
3:10 Out of the same mouth comes forth blessing and cursing. My brothers, it is not fitting for these things to be so.
3:11 For is there indeed a fountain which has in it salt and sweet waters?
3:12 Or is a tree of dates able to give oil, or a vine – figs? So the fountain is not able to give salt and sweet waters.
3:13 Whosoever is wise and understanding among you, let him show me his good walk with wisdom.
3:14 But if you have bitter jealousy and contention in your heart, do not boast and lie against the truth.
3:15 For this is not wisdom that comes from above; but from the earth, from the man, and from demons 10.
3:16 For in whosoever there is jealousy and hatred, in him there are many evil things.
3:17 But the wisdom from above is firstly pure, and afterwards shalom, and with rest, and is able to reconcile, and quick to listen, full of mercy, and lastly it is to goodness and not to partiality or flattery.
3:18 But the righteous fruits are sown in shalom by those who establish the shalom11.
4:1 From where come conflicts and fightings from among you? Is it not from your lusts which fight in your members?
4:2 So you desire, but do not receive; and he who takes revenge and stays angry does not profit by it. And why all this? Because you do not pray.
4:3 And when you do a prayer, it is not answered because you pray wrongly.
4:4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do do you not know that whosoever loves this world, he hates Yehovah? So, whosoever wants to be a lover of this world, he himself will be a hater of Yehovah12.
4:5 Or do you think that the Torah says in vain that the ruach which dwells inside you, it covets against the commandments of Yehovah ?
4:6 Yet he gives much steadfast love, for the Torah says that Yehovah exalts the humble ones, and humiliates the proud ones. (Prov. 3:34)
4:7 Therefore you must be humble before Yehovah13. Resist The adversaries, and they will flee from you.
4:8 If you bring yourselves near to to Yehovah, He Himself will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, o sinners, and make your hearts pure!
4:9 And bear your, burdens and weep! And let your laughter be turned to weeping, and your joy to grief.
4:10 Humble yourselves before Yehovah, He Himself will hear you.
4:11 Beloved brothers, do not go about slandering among yourselves, for whosoever goes about as a slanderer against his brother, is a slanderer against the Torah; and if you do so, you do not establish the Torah.
4:12 And there is only One who gives the Torah, who is able to punish and to forgive; but who are you to judge the others?
4:13 Come now, those saying, Today or tomorrow we will go into this city, and we will spend one year there, and we will trade and prosper,
4:14 who do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? For it is a vapor, which appears for a little while, and then it disappears.
4:15 Instead, you should say, If Yehovah wills, even we shall live, and we will do this or that.
4:16 But now you boast in your pride, and this leads to evil.
4:17 Therefore, whosoever knows to do good, and does not do it, for him it will be reckoned as sin.
5:1 Come now, rich ones, weep, howl over your miseries that shall come upon you.
5:2 Your riches have rotted, and your garments have become moth-eaten.
5:3 And your silver and your gold will rust, and this will be a witness against you; and it will eat your flesh as fire does, for you will take riches in the last days.
5:4 Look, the wages of the workmen who have reaped your fields cry out, being kept back by you. And the cries of the ones who have reaped have entered "Into the ears of Yehovah of Tzavoath (Hosts)." (Isa. 5:9)
5:5 You lived luxuriously on the earth, and lived for self-pleasure14; you nourished your bodies for the day of slaughter.
5:6 And you declared the righteous guilty, and killed him; and he did not protest against you.
5:7 Therefore, brothers, be patient until the coming of Yehovah. See, the farmer waits for the fruits of the earth, and his hope is on the early rain and the latter rain.
5:8 And also you, make your hearts strong, because the coming of our Master is near.
5:9 Do not murmur against one another, brothers, that you do not come under control of a snare. Look, the Judge stands before the door.
5:10 Beloved brothers, take as a parable for yourselves, the sufferings and the endurance of the prophets who spoke to you in the name of Yehovah.15
5:11 Look, we commend those who endure. You have heard of the patience of Yob, and you saw what Yehovah did for him at the end, "For Yehovah is full of tender mercy and compassion." (Psa. 103:8)
5:12 But above all these things, my brothers, do not swear, neither by the heaven, nor by the earth, nor any other oath. But let your yes be yes, and the no, no, in order that you do not stumble. (Math 5:33-37)
5:13 And if one among you endures something, he must pray; and if one among you is with goodness of heart, that one must sing psalms.
5:14 Is any among you sick? He must call the elders of the house of assembly. And they must do a prayer for him and anoint him with oil in the name of our Master16.
5:15 And the prayer of the belief will support the sick one, and our Master will [raise] him up; and if he had sinned, He will forgive him the sins.
5:16 And let them confess their sins one to another, and let everyone do a prayer for his fellow, for Yehovah is close to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth17. (Ps 119:172)
5:17 Even Elijah was a man just like ourselves, and he prayed earnestly for it not to rain; and it did not rain on the earth three years and six new moons.
5:18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth caused its fruit to sprout.
5:19 Brothers, if one among you goes from the good way to the evil, and someone restrains him,
5:20 know that whosoever turns him back from his wickedness he will deliver a life from the death and make atonement for many sins.