Day 601 of 730

¹Jacob, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are in the Diaspora: Greetings.

²Count it all joy, my brothers, when you fall into various temptations,

³knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

⁴Let endurance have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

⁵But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach; and it will be given to him.

⁶But let him ask in faith, without any doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven by the wind and tossed.

⁷For let that man not think that he will receive anything from the Lord.

⁸He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

⁹But let the brother in humble circumstances glory in his high position;

¹⁰and the rich, in that he is made humble, because like the flower in the grass, he will pass away.

¹¹For the sun arises with the scorching wind, and withers the grass, and the flower in it falls, and the beauty of its appearance perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in his pursuits.

¹²Blessed is the man who endures temptation, for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which he promised to those who love him.

¹³Let no man say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God," for God cannot be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one.

¹⁴But each one is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed.

¹⁵Then the lust, when it has conceived, bears sin; and the sin, when it is full grown, brings forth death.

¹⁶Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers.

¹⁷Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, nor turning shadow.

¹⁸Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.

¹⁹This you know, my beloved brothers. But let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger;

²⁰for the anger of man does not accomplish the righteousness of God.

²¹Therefore, putting away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness, receive with humility the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

²²But be doers of the word, and not only hearers, deluding your own selves.

²³For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man looking at his natural face in a mirror;

²⁴for he sees himself, and goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.

²⁵But he who looks into the perfect Law of freedom, and continues, not being a hearer who forgets, but a doer of the work, this man will be blessed in what he does.

²⁶If anyone thinks himself to be religious while he does not bridle his tongue, but deceives his heart, this man's religion is worthless.

²⁷Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

¹Blessed is the man who doesn't walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the way of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers;

²but his delight is in the Lord's Law. On his Law he meditates day and night.

³He will be like a tree planted by the streams of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also does not wither. Whatever he does shall prosper.

⁴The wicked are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind drives away.

⁵Therefore the wicked shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

⁶For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked shall perish.

¹Whoever loves correction loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.

²A good man shall obtain favor from the Lord, but he will condemn a man of wicked devices.

³A man shall not be established by wickedness, but the root of the righteous shall not be moved.

⁴A worthy woman is the crown of her husband, but a disgraceful wife is as rottenness in his bones.

⁵The thoughts of the righteous are just, but the advice of the wicked is deceitful.

⁶The words of the wicked are about lying in wait for blood, but the speech of the upright rescues them.

⁷The wicked are overthrown, and are no more, but the house of the righteous shall stand.

⁸A man shall be commended according to his wisdom, but he who has a warped mind shall be despised.

⁹Better is he who is lightly esteemed, and has a servant, than he who honors himself, and lacks bread.

¹⁰A righteous man regards the life of his animal, but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.

¹¹He who tills his land shall have plenty of bread, but he who chases fantasies is void of understanding.

¹²The wicked desires the plunder of evil men, but the root of the righteous flourishes.

¹³An evil man is trapped by sinfulness of lips, but the righteous shall come out of trouble.

¹⁴A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth. The work of a man's hands shall be rewarded to him.

¹⁵The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he who is wise listens to counsel.

¹⁶A fool shows his annoyance the same day, but one who overlooks an insult is prudent.

¹⁷He who is truthful testifies honestly, but a false witness lies.

¹⁸There is one who speaks rashly like the piercing of a sword, but the tongue of the wise heals.

¹⁹Truth's lips will be established forever, but a lying tongue is only momentary.

²⁰Deceit is in the heart of those who plot evil, but joy comes to the promoters of peace.

²¹No mischief shall happen to the righteous, but the wicked shall be filled with evil.

²²Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who do the truth are his delight.

²³A prudent man keeps his knowledge, but the hearts of fools proclaim foolishness.

²⁴The hands of the diligent ones shall rule, but laziness ends in slave labor.

²⁵Anxiety in a man's heart weighs it down, but a kind word makes it glad.

²⁶A righteous person is cautious in friendship, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.

²⁷The slothful man doesn't roast his game, but the possessions of diligent men are prized.

²⁸In the way of righteousness is life; in its path there is no death.