Jakobus 1
1 Jakobus, Knecht Gottes und des Herrn Jesu Christi, entbietet seinen Gruß den zwölf Stämmen in der Diaspora.
[I], James, am a servant of God and the Lord Jesus Christ. [I am writing this letter] to [all] the Jewish people [who trust in Christ] (OR, to all God’s people) who are scattered throughout the world. [I send my] greetings to [you all].
2 Haltet es für lauter Freude, meine Brüder, wenn ihr in mannigfache Versuchungen geratet.
My fellow believers, rejoice greatly, [even] when you experience various kinds of difficulties/troubles.
3 Ihr wisset ja: Wenn euer Glaube echt ist, dann wirkt er Geduld,
[God sometimes allows you to experience difficulties in order to] test whether or not you will continue to trust [him. Whenever that happens, you need to] realize more and more that [if you continue to trust him], you will be able to bravely/patiently endure difficulties.
4 und die Geduld soll zur Vollendung führen, damit ihr vollendet seid, ohne Tadel, ohne Fehl.
Keep on enduring difficulties [bravely/patiently by trusting God more and more firmly] [PRS], in order that you may become all that he intends you to be [DOU] (OR, [spiritually] mature and complete), not lacking (any [good quality/anything you need to conduct your lives as God wants you to]).
5 Fehlt es aber einem unter euch an Weisheit, so bitte er Gott, der allen ohne weiteres und ohne harte Worte gibt, und sie wird ihm gegeben werden.
If anyone of you does not know how to act wisely [in order to endure difficulties/trials well], he should ask God [to show him what he should do, because] God wholeheartedly/gladly helps all people [who ask] and does not scold [anyone for asking. Those who ask], God will give them wisdom to know [what they should do].
6 Nur bete er mit gläubigem Vertrauen und zweifle nicht im mindesten. Wer zweifelt, gleicht einer Meereswoge, die vom Sturme gepeitscht und hin- und hergeworfen wird.
But [when you] ask [God], you should firmly trust him. You should not doubt [that he wants to help you always], because people who keep doubting God are [unstable/changeable] [SIM] like a wave of the sea that is blown back and forth by the wind {that goes back and forth when the wind blows} [DOU, SIM].
7 Ein solcher Mensch soll ja nicht meinen, vom Herrn etwas zu empfangen,
Indeed, people [who doubt] should not think that the Lord [God] will do anything [that they request him to do],
8 der Mann mit den zwei Seelen, unbeständig auf allen seinen Wegen.
[because they are] people who cannot decide [whether they will commit themselves to God, and they are] unstable/undecided in everything that they do.
9 Der arme Bruder rühme sich seiner Hoheit,
Believers who are poor should be happy [that God] considers them very valuable (OR, has exalted them [spiritually]) [MTY].
10 der reiche aber der Armseligkeit; wird er doch vergehen wie die Blüte des Grases:
And [believers] who are rich should be happy [that] they have humbled themselves [in order to trust in Jesus Christ] (OR, but rich people [can only] take pride [in the fact that God] will humble them [when he judges everyone] [IRO]), because they [and their riches] [MTY] will pass away, just like wild flowers [wither] [SIM].
11 Wenn die Sonne und der Glutwind sich zumal erheben, alsdann verdorrt das Gras, und seine Blüte welkt; sein schöner Anblick ist dahin. So wird auch der Reiche bei seinen Unternehmungen dahinwelken.
When the sun rises, the scorching hot wind dries plants, and their flowers fall and are no longer beautiful. Similarly, rich people will die [MET] while they are busy working, [leaving behind their riches].
12 Glückselig der Mann, der die Prüfung besteht! Bewährt er sich, so wird er den Kranz des Lebens empfangen, den der Herr denen verheißen hat, die ihn lieben.
[God] is pleased with people who bravely/patiently endure difficulties. And when, [by bravely enduring difficulties], they have proved [that they truly trust him], he will give them [eternal] life. That is the reward [MET] that he has promised to give to those who love him.
13 Keiner, der versucht wird, sage: "Gott versucht mich!" Gott kann zum Bösen nicht versucht werden, und er selbst versucht niemanden.
If people are tempted to do something that is evil, they should not think that it is God who is tempting them, because [God is totally/completely good]. He never tempts anyone [to do what is evil], nor can he ever be tempted to [do anything] evil.
14 Ein jeder wird vielmehr von der eigenen Begierlichkeit versucht, die ihn lockt und ködert.
But people strongly desire to do evil [PRS] things, [and as a result] they are tempted by those desires {those desires stimulate them} to do something evil [PRS, DOU].
15 Hat die Begierlichkeit empfangen, so gebiert sie die Sünde, die Sünde aber, ausgereift, gebiert den Tod.
Then, [because] they have desired [MET] to do evil [PRS] things, they begin to [MET] do [PRS] them. And when they have become ones who [habitually] do what is evil [MET], [if they do not turn away from their sinful behavior], they will be separated from God forever.
16 Laßt euch nicht irreführen, meine vielgeliebten Brüder!
My fellow believers whom I love, stop deceiving yourselves, [thinking that God does evil things].
17 jede gute Gabe und jedes vollkommene Geschenk kommt von oben her, vom Vater der Lichter, bei dem es keine Veränderung gibt und keinen Schatten von Veränderlichkeit.
[The truth is that God], our heavenly Father [MTY], does only good [DOU] things [for us, in order to help us become] all that he intends us to be. He is not like all the things [in the sky] that he created to give light, [because they] change; [that is, they do not shine the same all the time]. But God never changes. [He is always good].
18 Mit freiem Willen hat er durch das Wort der Wahrheit uns gezeugt, damit wir so gewissermaßen Erstlinge seiner Schöpfung seien.
[And because] he wanted [to help us], he gave us [spiritual] life as a result of our [trusting in his] true message. So now we have become the first ones of [all the people] [MET] that he created [to] ([be totally dedicated to/completely belong to]) [him].
19 Wißt, meine lieben Brüder: jeder Mensch sei schnell bereit zum Hören, zum Reden aber langsam, langsam zum Zorn.
My fellow believers whom I love, you know (OR, I want you to now) that every one of you should be eager to pay attention to [God’s true message]. Don’t speak [without thinking], nor get angry easily,
20 Des Menschen Zorn bewirkt nicht, was recht macht vor Gott.
because when any one [of you gets] angry, you will not be doing the righteous things that God [wants] you [to do].
21 Legt jeden Schmutz und jeden Rest von Schlechtigkeiten ab und nehmt in Sanftmut das Wort an, das euch eingepflanzt ward, das eure Seelen retten kann.
So stop doing all kinds of evil [DOU] things, and humbly obey (OR, submit to) the message that [God] put in your (inner beings/hearts), [because] he is able to save you [SYN] [if you accept his message].
22 Werdet Täter des Wortes und nicht nur Hörer, die sich selber täuschen.
Do [what God commands in] his message. Do not only listen [to it, because people who only listen to it and do not obey it] are wrong when they think [that God will save them].
23 Wer nur Hörer des Wortes ist und nicht auch Täter, gleicht einem Manne, der sein natürliches Aussehen in einem Spiegel beschaut,
Some people hear God’s message but do not do [what it says] [MET]. They are like someone who looks at his face in a mirror [SIM].
24 dann aber, hat er sich betrachtet, weggeht und sogleich vergißt, wie er ausgesehen hat.
Although he looks at himself, he goes away [from the mirror] and immediately forgets what he looks like.
25 Wer aber in das vollkommene Gesetz der Freiheit hineingeschaut hat und auch dabei verbleibt, wer nicht ein vergeßlicher Hörer ist, vielmehr ein tätiger Vollbringer, wird durch sein Wirken selig werden.
But other people look closely at [God’s] message, which is perfect and which sets people free [to voluntarily do what God wants them to do]. And if they continue [to examine God’s message] and do not just hear it and then forget it, but do [what God tells them to do], God will bless them because of what they do.
26 Wenn einer meint, er sei fromm, doch seine Zunge nicht im Zaume hält, vielmehr sein Herz betrügt, dessen Frömmigkeit ist nichts.
Some people think that they worship God in the right way, but they habitually say evil things [MTY]. Those people are wrong in thinking [SYN] [that they worship God rightly]. The fact is [that they] worship God (in vain/uselessly).
27 Vor Gott, dem Vater, ist nur dies eine reine, makellose Frömmigkeit: die Waisen und Witwen in ihrer Trübsal aufzusuchen und sich selber unbefleckt zu bewahren vor der Welt
[One of the things that God has told us to do] is to take care of orphans and widows who suffer hardship. [Those who do that and] who do not think or act immorally like those who do not obey God [MTY] truly [DOU] worship God, [who is our] Father, and God approves of them.
