James 1 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.

From James, a servant of God and of the Master, Jesus The One — to the twelve tribes scattered across the world: greetings.

Consider it nothing but joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you run into all kinds of hardships,

because you know that when your trust is put to the test, it produces endurance.

And let that endurance finish its work in you, so that you'll be complete and whole, not missing anything.

Now if any of you is missing wisdom, ask God — he gives generously to everyone without holding it against them — and it will be given to you.

But when you ask, you've got to trust and not second-guess, because the person who second-guesses is like a wave in the ocean, blown and tossed around by the wind.

That person shouldn't expect to receive anything from the Master,

since they're split down the middle — unstable in everything they do.

The brother or sister who has nothing should take pride in being lifted up,

and the one who is rich should take pride in being brought low — because they will fade away like a wildflower.

The sun comes up with its scorching heat and dries up the plant; its flower drops off and all its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich person will wither away right in the middle of their pursuits.

Life is good for the person who holds up under hardship, because once they've been proven genuine, they'll receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

When someone is being tempted, they should never say, "God is tempting me," because God can't be tempted by what's destructive, and he himself doesn't tempt anyone.

Instead, each person is tempted when they're dragged away and hooked by their own desires.

Then desire, once it has conceived, gives birth to failure. And failure, when it's fully grown, produces death.

Don't be fooled, my dear brothers and sisters.

Every good gift and every perfect present comes down from the Father of lights, who never changes or shifts like moving shadows.

He chose to give us life through the word of truth, so that we would be like the first and best part of everything he created.

Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry,

because human anger doesn't produce the kind of life God wants for us.

So strip away every bit of moral filth and the evil that overflows in your lives, and humbly receive the word that's been planted in you — it has the power to rescue you.

But be people who actually do what the word says — don't just listen to it and fool yourselves.

Because anyone who listens to the word but doesn't do what it says is like someone who looks at their own face in a mirror,

takes a look, walks away, and immediately forgets what they looked like.

But the person who looks carefully into the perfect law that sets people free — and keeps at it, not just hearing and forgetting but actually doing something — that person will find deep satisfaction in everything they do.

If anyone considers themselves to be devoted to God but doesn't keep a tight rein on their tongue, they're fooling themselves — their devotion is worthless.

Devotion that is genuine and without fault in the eyes of God the Father looks like this: taking care of orphans and widows in their distress, and keeping yourself from being contaminated by the world's value system.