enthusiasm

²³Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as for the Lord, and not for men.

⁷each one giving, just as he has determined in his heart, neither out of sadness, nor out of obligation. For God loves a cheerful giver.

¹⁸But what does it matter? As long as, by every means, whether under pretext or in truthfulness, Christ is announced. And about this, I rejoice, and moreover, I will continue to rejoice.

¹⁰Whatever your hand is able to do, do it earnestly. For neither work, nor reason, nor wisdom, nor knowledge will exist in death, toward which you are hurrying.

¹⁵Be solicitous in the task of presenting yourself before God as a proven and unashamed worker who has handled the Word of Truth correctly.

¹James, servant of God and of our Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes of the dispersion, greetings. ²My brothers, when you have fallen into various trials, consider everything a joy, ³knowing that the proving of your faith exercises patience, ⁴and patience brings a work to perfection, so that you may be perfect and whole, deficient in nothing. ⁵But if anyone among you is in need of wisdom, let him petition God, who gives abundantly to all without reproach, and it shall be given to him. ⁶But he should ask with faith, doubting nothing. For he who doubts is like a wave on the ocean, which is moved about by the wind and carried away;

¹¹in solicitude, not lazy; in spirit, fervent; serving the Lord;

¹⁶Rejoice always. ¹⁷Pray without ceasing. ¹⁸Give thanks in everything. For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for all of you.

⁷Serve with good will, as to the Lord, and not to men.

²Where there is no knowledge of the soul, there is no good. And whoever hurries with his feet will stumble. ³The foolishness of a man undermines his steps. And then he seethes in his soul against God. ⁴Riches add many friends. But from the pauper, even those whom he had become separated. ⁵A false witness shall not go unpunished. And whoever speaks lies will not escape. ⁶Many honor the character of one who is powerful, and there are friends for a giver of gifts. ⁷The brothers of the poor man hate him. Moreover, even his friends have withdrawn far from him. Whoever pursues only words shall have nothing.

¹⁰Cursed is he who does the work of the Lord deceitfully. And cursed is he who prohibits his sword from blood.

¹And so, I beg you, brothers, by the mercy of God, that you offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, with the subservience of your mind.

⁵Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming this age. ⁶Let your speech be ever graceful, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to respond to each person.

²pasture the flock of God that is among you, providing for it, not as a requirement, but willingly, in accord with God, and not for the sake of tainted profit, but freely,

¹Now, faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not apparent. ²For this reason, the ancients were given testimony. ³By faith, we understand the world to be fashioned by the Word of God, so that the visible might be made by the invisible. ⁴By faith, Abel offered to God a much better sacrifice than that of Cain, through which he obtained testimony that he was just, in that God offered testimony to his gifts. And through that sacrifice, he still speaks to us, though he is dead. ⁵By faith, Enoch was transferred, so that he would not see death, and he was not found because God had transferred him. For before he was transferred, he had testimony that he pleased God. ⁶But without faith, it is impossible to please God. For whoever approaches God must believe that he exists, and that he rewards those who seek him.

⁷Serve with good will, as to the Lord, and not to men. ⁸For you know that whatever good each one will do, the same will he receive from the Lord, whether he is servant or free.

²²But the fruit of the Spirit is charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, forbearance,

⁵⁸And so, my beloved brothers, be steadfast and unmovable, abounding always in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not useless in the Lord.

¹My little sons, this I write to you, so that you may not sin. But if anyone has sinned, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the Just One. ²And he is the propitiation for our sins. And not only for our sins, but also for those of the whole world. ³And we can be sure that we have known him by this: if we observe his commandments. ⁴Whoever claims that he knows him, and yet does not keep his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. ⁵But whoever keeps his word, truly in him the charity of God is perfected. And by this we know that we are in him. ⁶Whoever declares himself to remain in him, ought to walk just as he himself walked.

²⁶And he has made, out of one, every family of man: to live upon the face of the entire earth, determining the appointed seasons and the limits of their habitation,

¹⁵I know your works: that you are neither cold, nor hot. I wish that you were either cold or hot. ¹⁶But because you are lukewarm and are neither cold nor hot, I will begin to vomit you out of my mouth. ¹⁷For you declare, ‘I am wealthy, and I have been enriched further, and I have need of nothing.’ And you do not know that you are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.