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May 3 - December 27, 2024
One of the major concerns of Jacob (James) seemed to be the huge gap between the rich and poor, even within the church. He encourages poor believers that they have been blessed with every privilege from God, though society may dismiss them. And to the rich he reminds them no amount of wealth from below could buy what they’ve been given from above. Jacob also writes against favoritism in the church of any kind, especially based on the size of one’s pocketbook or the brand of their clothes.
2My fellow believers, when it seems as though you are facing nothing but difficulties, see it as an invaluable opportunity to experience the greatest joy that you can! 3For you know that when your faith is testedc it stirs up in you the power of endurance. 4And then as your endurance grows even stronger, it will release perfection into every part of your being until there is nothing missing and nothing lacking.
5And if anyone longs to be wise, ask God for wisdom and he will give it! He won’t see your lack of wisdom as an opportunity to scold you over your failures but he will overwhelm your failures with his generous grace.d
9The believer who is poor still has reasons to boast, for he has been placed on high. 10But those who are rich should boast in how God has brought them low and humbled them, for all their earthly glory will one day fade away like a wildflower in the meadow. 11For as the scorching heat of the sun causes the petals of the wildflower to fall off and lose its appearance of beauty,f so the rich in the midst of their pursuit of wealth will wither away.
19My dearest brothers and sisters, take this to heart: Be quick to listen,o but slow to speak. And be slow to become angry, 20for human anger is never a legitimate tool to promote God’s righteous purpose.p 21So this is why we abandon everything morally impureq and all forms of wicked conduct.r Instead, with a sensitive spirits we absorb God’s Word, which has been implanted within our nature, for the Word of Life has power to continually deliver us.t 22Don’t just listen to the Word of Truth and not respond to it, for that is the essence of self-deception. So always let his Word become like
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27True spiritualityab that is pure in the eyes of our Father God is to make a difference in the lives of the orphans,ac and widows in their troubles, and to refuse to be corrupted by the world’s values.
q1:21 The Aramaic word used here can mean “demonic activities.”
u1:22 Or “be a poet [doer] of the Word.”
ab1:27 The Aramaic can be translated “True ministry.” ac1:27 The Greek word orhpanos means “the fatherless” or “the comfortless.”
2My dear brothers and sisters, fellow believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ—how could we say that we have faith in him and yet we favor one group of people above another?
4then you’ve demonstrated gross prejudice among yourselves and used evil standards of judgment!
8Your calling is to fulfill the royal law of loveg as given to us in this Scripture: “You must love and value your neighbor as you love and value yourself!”h For keeping this law is the noble way to live. 9But when you show prejudice you commit sin and you violate this royal law of love!
17So then faith that doesn’t involve action is phony.k
26For just as a human body without the spirit is a dead corpse, so faith without the expression of good works is dead!
a2:1 The Aramaic can be translated “Don’t be taken in by the face mask of people, but hold to the faith in the glory of our Lord Jesus the Messiah.”
5And so the tongue is a small part of the body yet it carries great power!a Just think of how a small flame can set a huge forest ablaze. 6And the tongue is a fire! It can be compared to the sum total of wickednessb and is the most dangerous part of our human body. It corrupts the entire bodyc and is a hellish flame!d It releases a fire that can burn throughout the course of human existence.e
7For every wild animal on earth including birds, creeping reptiles, and creatures of the sea and landf have all been overpowered and tamed by humans, 8but the tongue is not able to be tamed. It’s a fickle, unrestrained evil that spews out words full of toxic poison! 9We use our tongue to praise God our Fatherg and then turn around and curse a person who was made in his very image!h 10Out of the same mouth we pour out words of praise one minute and curses the next. My brothers and sisters, this should never be!
16So wherever jealousym and selfishness are uncovered, you will also find many troublesn and every kind of meanness.
a3:5 Or “boasts of great things.” The Aramaic can be translated “the tongue has dominion.”
d3:6 Or “is set ablaze by gehenna [hell].” The Aramaic does not mention gehenna but is simply “burns with fire.” Gehenna is taken from the concept of “The Valley of Hinnom” where rubbish was burned outside the city of Jerusalem, becoming a Hebrew metaphor for the fires of hell. e3:6 The Aramaic can be translated “a fire that passes through successive generations, rolling on like wheels.”
h3:9 The Aramaic can be translated “we curse a person and pretend to be God!”
m3:16 The Greek word for jealousy implies an obsession to promote one’s self at the expense of others.
3And if you ask, you won’t receive it for you’re asking with corrupt motives,b seeking only to fulfill your own selfish desires.
7So then, surrender to God. Stand up to the devil and resist him and he will flee in agony.f
11Dear friends, as part of God’s family, never speak against another family member, for when you slander a brother or sister you violatej God’s law of love. And your duty is not to make yourself a judge of the law of lovek by saying that it doesn’t apply to you,l but your duty is to obey it!m
17So if you know of an opportunity to do the right thing today, yet you refrain from doing it, you’re guilty of sin.
b4:3 The Greek word for corrupt motives is kakos and can be translated “sick,” or “sickly.” James is exhorting us not to pray “sickly prayers.”
4Listen! Can’t you hear the cries of the laborersb over the wages you fraudulently held back from those who worked for you?c The cries for justice of those you’ve cheated have reached the ears of the Lord of armies!d
12Above all we must be those who never need to verify our speech as truthful by swearing by the heavens or the earth or any other oath.o But instead we must be so full of integrity that our “Yes” or “No” is convincing enough and we do not stumble into hypocrisy.p
16As God’s loving servants, you should live in complete freedom, but never use your freedom as a cover-up for evil.
7Husbands, you in turn must treat your wives with tenderness,e viewing themf as feminineg partners who deserve to be honored, for they are co-heirs with you of the “divine grace of life,”h so that nothing will hinder your prayers.
e3:7 Or “with intimate insight” (“realistically,” “with considerateness”). That is, with consideration of what they desire and delight in, not ignorant of their preferences. f3:7 Or “make a home as equals.” g3:7 Or “weaker vessel,” which is a possible idiom for “weaker livelihood.” Widows and female orphans were horribly disadvantaged in the time this was written. Without an advocate, women were often oppressed by corrupt political officials.
h3:7 This unique New Testament phrase describes the joyous grace that husband and wife share as a married couple, as coheirs of eternal life. But there is more than a hint of the life they give birth to—that is, the wonderful grace of giving life to a child, “the divine grace of life.”
6This is the reason the gospel was preached to the martyrs before they gave their lives.h Even though they were judged by human standards, now they live in spirit by God’s standards.
7Since we are approaching the end of all things, be intentional, purposeful,i and self-controlled so that you can be given to prayer. 8Above all, constantly echoj God’s intense love for one another, for love will be a canopy over a multitude of sins.k 9Be compassionate to foreignersl without complaining. 10Every believer has received grace gifts, so use them to serve one another as faithful stewards of the many-colored tapestry of God’s grace.
11For example, if you have a speaking gift, speak as though God were speaking his words through you.m If you have the gift of serving, do it passionately with the strength God gives you,n so that in everything God alone will be glorified through Jesus Christ. For to him belong the power and the glory forever throughout all ages! Amen.o
h4:6 Or “to those who are dead.” Most scholars believe that this refers to those who heard the gospel and eventually suffered and died for Christ. However, some believe it is preaching to the dead (the entire human family), giving them the opportunity to believe. i4:7 Though the Greek uses only one word (sōphroneō), it is best defined by the two English words intentional and purposeful. j4:8 The Greek verb echō can also mean “to maintain,” “to possess,” “to keep,” or “to be so closely joined to something that you become its echo.” In this case, we join ourselves so closely to God’s love that
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l4:9 As translated from the Aramaic and implied in the Greek, which can also be translated “Show hospitality to the stranger.”
n4:11 The Greek can also be translated “The one who provides finances should do it with the strength of God, who supplies all things.” o4:11 Peter exhorts us in vv. 7–11 to do five things as we see the end drawing closer: (1) be given to prayer, (2) be devoted to loving our fellow believers, (3) be compassionate to the stranger and foreigner, (4) use spiritual gifts to serve one another, and (5) give God glory in all things.
3Don’t be controlling tyrantsc but lead others by your beautiful examples to the flock.d 4And when the Shepherd-Kinge appears, you will win the victor’s crown of glory that never fades away.f
8Be well balanced and always alert, because your enemy,k the devil, roams around incessantly, like a roaring lion looking for its prey to devour.l
f5:4 In these few verses Peter gives us the seven qualities of true shepherds who serve as elders for the flock: (1) They understand that they serve God’s flock, not their own. (2) They lovingly guide and care for God’s people. (3) They take the responsibilities of oversight willingly. (4) They are eager to serve, not eager for financial gain. (5) They feed and nurture God’s people. (6) They reject a domineering leadership model. (7) They lead by examples of godliness and humility.
k5:8 The Greek word antidikos is a legal term for one who presses a lawsuit that must be defended. l5:8 The implication in the context is that if you do not bring your worries and cares to God, the devil will use depression and discouragement to devour you. Just as lions go after the feeble, the young, and the stragglers, so the enemy of our souls will always seek out those who are isolated, alone, or depressed to devour them.
Faith’s Ladder of Virtue 5So devote yourselvesm to lavishly supplementingn your faith with goodness,o and to goodness add understanding, 6and to understanding add the strength of self-control, and to self-control add patient endurance, and to patient endurance add godliness,p 7and to godliness add mercy toward your brothers and sisters,q and to mercy toward others add unending love.r 8Since these virtues are already planted deep within,s and you possess them in abundant supply,t they will keep you from being inactive or fruitless in your pursuit of knowing Jesus Christ more intimately. 9But if
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m1:5 Or “by having added your intense effort.” The Aramaic can be translated “by being under the weight of all these gifts.” n1:5 The Greek word epichorēgeo means “to fully support the chorus” or “to completely choreograph.” o1:5 Or “integrity, virtues of courage, nobleness, and moral valor.” p1:6 Or “reverence.” q1:7 As translated from the Aramaic and implied in the Greek. This mercy would include forgiveness and forbearance to those who fail. r1:7 It is possible to view this passage like an unfolding of faith. “Out of your faith will emerge goodness, and out of goodness will emerge
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u1:9 Although the Greek word myōpazō can mean “nearsighted,” it is a compound word taken from the base word mystērion (mystery), and optonomai (to look upon, to behold). The implication is that when the virtues of the divine nature are not flourishing in believers, it is because they are “closing [their] eyes” to the mysteries of our faith, i.e., Christ in us, the hope of glory. See Col. 1:27.
x1:10 The Aramaic adds the phrase “by your good deeds.” The implication is that by developing the virtues Peter has spoken of in vv. 3–7, we validate God’s calling and choice of us.
aa1:11 This is the Greek word epichorēgeo, which can mean “richly provide” (for the choir) or “choreograph.” The Lord of the dance will richly welcome you into his eternal kingdom. See Zeph. 3:17.
14They are addicted to adultery, with eyes that are insatiable,u with sins that never end. They seduce the vulnerable and are experts in their greed—they are but children of a curse!
18They spout off with their grandiose, impressive nonsense. Consumed with the lusts of the flesh, they lure back into sin those who recently escaped from their error. 19They promise others freedom, yet they themselves are slaves to corruption, for people are slaves to whatever overcomes them.
