Africa Study Bible Sampler - Flipbook - Page 76
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Greetings from James
This letter is from James, a slave of God
and of the Lord Jesus Christ.
I am writing to the “twelve tribes”—Jewish
believers scattered abroad.
Greetings!
1
Faith and Endurance
2 Dear brothers and sisters,* when troubles
of any kind come your way, consider it an
opportunity for great joy. 3 For you know that
when your faith is tested, your endurance
has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, for when
your endurance is fully developed, you will
be perfect and complete, needing nothing.
5 If you need wisdom, ask our generous
God, and he will give it to you. He will not
rebuke you for asking. 6 But when you ask
him, be sure that your faith is in God alone.
Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is
blown and tossed by the wind. 7 Such people
should not expect to receive anything from
the Lord. 8 Their loyalty is divided between
God and the world, and they are unstable in
everything they do.
9 Believers who are* poor have something
to boast about, for God has honoured them.
10 And those who are rich should boast that
God has humbled them. They will fade away
like a little flower in the field. 11 The hot sun
rises and the grass withers; the little flower
droops and falls, and its beauty fades away.
In the same way, the rich will fade away with
all of their achievements.
12 God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterwards
they will receive the crown of life that God
has promised to those who love him. 13 And
remember, when you are being tempted, do
not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never
tempted to do wrong,* and he never tempts
anyone else. 14 Temptation comes from our
own desires, which entice us and drag us
away. 15 These desires give birth to sinful
actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it
gives birth to death.
J A M E S 1 : 2 5
1:1
African Touch Points
1 Pet 1:1
1:2
Able to Handle Anything
1 Pet 1:6
1:3
Didymus
the Blind (ad 313–398) was a theologian
1 Pet 1:7
who led an important school for nearly fifty years in
1:5
Prov 2:3-6
Alexandria, Egypt. He wrote:
Matt 7:7
James does all he can to encourage his readers
1:6
Matt 21:22
to bear their trials with joy and as a burden that is
Mark 11:24
bearable. He says that perfect patience consists in
1:10-11
Ps 102:4, 11
bearing testing for its own sake, not for the hope of
Isa 40:6-7
a better reward later.
1 Pet 1:24
Nevertheless, he tries to persuade his readers
1:12
1 Cor 9:25
to rely on the promise that their present condition
2 Tim 4:8
Jas 5:11
will be put right. The person who has fought hard
Rev 2:10; 3:11
battles will be able to handle anything. The person
1:14
who comes through his troubles with joy will be preProv 19:3
1:16
pared to receive his reward. This reward is “the crown
1 Cor 6:9
of life that God has promised to those who love him.”
1:17
Gen 1:16
Ps 136:7
16 So don’t be misled, my dear brothers
Matt 7:11
1:18
and sisters. 17 Whatever is good and perfect
John 1:13
is a gift coming down to us from God our
1 Pet 1:23
Father, who created all the lights in the heav1:19
Prov 10:19; 15:1 ens.* He never changes or casts a shifting
Eccl 7:9
shadow.* 18 He chose to give birth to us by
1:21
Eph 1:13; 4:22 giving us his true word. And we, out of all
Col 1:28
creation, became his prized possession.*
1 Pet 2:1
1:22
Matt 7:21, 26 Listening and Doing
Rom 2:13
19 Understand this, my dear brothers and
1:25
John 13:17
sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow
Rom 8:2
Gal 6:2
to speak, and slow to get angry. 20 Human
Jas 2:12
anger* does not produce the righteousness*
1 Pet 2:16
God desires. 21 So get rid of all the filth and
evil in your lives, and humbly accept the
word God has planted in your hearts, for it
has the power to save your souls.
22 But don’t just listen to God’s word. You
must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only
fooling yourselves. 23 For if you listen to the
word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at
your face in a mirror. 24 You see yourself, walk
away, and forget what you look like. 25 But if
you look carefully into the perfect law that
sets you free, and if you do what it says and
don’t forget what you heard, then God will
bless you for doing it.
1:2 Greek brothers; also in 1:16, 19. 1:9 Greek The brother who is.
1:13 Or God should not be put to a test by evil people.
1:17a Greek from above, from the Father of lights.
1:17b Some manuscripts read He never changes, as a shifting shadow does.
1:18 Greek we became a kind of first-fruit of his creatures.
1:20a Greek A man’s anger.
1:20b Or the justice.
Applica ti on
Wisdom Is from God • James 1:5
Education is very expensive and not available to some people.
Many people spend years going to school and earning
However, wisdom, which is more valuable than education, is degrees but fail to ask God for wisdom. They become highly
free and accessible to everyone. One cannot buy wisdom; it educated but foolish. They are incapable of making wise decomes by asking God for it (James 1:5) and pursuing it through cisions in life choices and relationships. Wisdom is from God,
study of the Scriptures. James assures us that wisdom is and God is ready to give it to those who seek it.
available for those who are willing to ask for it. This wisdom
What confuses you in your life, work, family, or career? Ask
is different than formal education. It requires knowing the for wisdom to make the right decision that will give your life
mind of God and walking in his will. Also, it results in living an meaning. God is not stingy.
honourable life and making good decisions.