A Contextual Translation of The Letter by St James

(draft v1.0) by Dr John N Sutherland ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This entire work is copyright Dr John N Sutherland, 2013. The author gives permission for anyone to use it any form as long as it is attributed correctly and there is no financial gain except for the work of the propagation of The Good News of The Lord Jesus Christ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

chapter 1 Ya'akov, A servant of god, And of Yeshua Mashiax; To the twelve scattered tribes: Joy!

Stick the course Think of it as complete joy, My brothers, When you encounter different trials. For you know that the tests on you, The believer, Produce stickability. And when stickability works, You have grown-up, Are sound, And need nothing.

Ask and you shall receive: wisdom But if any of you lack wisdom, Ask god to give it, Who gives everything generously, And he will give it to you, He is not looking for faults.

A Contextual Translation of The Letter by St James (draft v1.0) by Dr John N Sutherland

Keep focus on the task But if you ask without believing, Then you are wobbling. And the wobbler is like a wave on the sea, Blown around, And tossed about. For this kind of person should not expect that he will receive from Adonai. A hesitant person is unstable in all his ways.

Don't pretend to be 'umble Also, the brother in high office: You should not boast of being humble. Nor the rich one of his humility. Like a flower in a meadow, He is soon gone. When the sun rises with its fullest heat, It dries up the seed, And its flower falls. Its surface beauty is gone. In this way the rich person, As he goes about his business, Dies off.

The battle is internal and personal A man who can hold out under trial is blessed. For he will receive approval, For The Crown of Life, Promised to those he loves. No-one under trial should say: it is a trial from god, For God cannot be tested by evil: No-one is tested by him. But each is tested, By his own desires, Which lure and entice. And then, once he is caught by desire, Evil is born. And evil ends in producing death.

A Contextual Translation of The Letter by St James (draft v1.0) by Dr John N Sutherland

Be reliable Don't wander off, my dear brothers. All good gifts and perfect giving are from above. They come down from The Father of Lights. In him there is no change, Nor a shadow of turning. His will is to bring to birth in you, Through a word of truth, So that you will blossom, As the first fruits of his creation.

Be calm Know this, my dear brothers, You must be at all times a people who are: Quick to listen, Slow to speak, And slow to anger. For a man's anger does not serve god correctly. So, lay aside all greed and added trouble. Be gentle! Accept the planting of The Word of Power, For it saves your souls.

Be worthwhile Become those who act out a word, And are not just listeners, Deceiving yourselves. For they who are only hearers and not doers, They are like people who see their genuine face in a mirror, Contemplate themselves, And go away, Immediately forgetting what they were like. But, the person who glimpses, Into the perfect law of freedom, And sticks with it, i He is not one who will forget what he has heard,

A Contextual Translation of The Letter by St James (draft v1.0) by Dr John N Sutherland

But acts on it. He is blessed in what he does.

Act and speak like God If any of you seems to be spiritual, But does not control his tongue, He only misleads himself. This is empty worship. Pure worship is concerned with God. He is a father who looks, Upon orphans, And widows, As they suffer, He keeps them blameless, In The Land. chapter 2 Have 100% faith in Jesus My brothers, Don't just have a bit of belief In Adonai Yeshua Mashiax, The glorious.

Don't treat people by their wealth So if someone comes into your assemblies, A man with gold rings and wearing splendid clothing, But with him a poor person in filthy rags, And you consider the one wearing splendid clothes and would say, "You, sit here in a fine chair", And to the poor person you would say, "You, sit here down here below me at a stool." Don't discriminate between yourselves Or turn into judges with evil thoughts.

God loves the poor You have heard, my dear brothers, Has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith Also to be those who inherit The Rule, Which he promised to those who love him?

A Contextual Translation of The Letter by St James (draft v1.0) by Dr John N Sutherland

The rich hate God's people But, you treat the poor shamefully! Isn't it the rich who exploit you, And drag you before the courts? Aren't they those who blaspheme The Good Name that you are called by? Is this not a royal rule that is written? "You shall love your neighbour as yourself." You should do good! But if you discriminate you are doing evil, And will be punished by The law as wrong-doers.

Don't be selective in your life of faith For to keep all The Law, But to stumble on one rule, Is to be entirely guilty. For he who said, "Do not be adulterous", Also said, "Do not murder", So then, if you are adulterous but not a murderer, You have broken a law.

Be generous and merciful What you say and what you do, Should be through a law of freedom. And it will judge, For there is merciless judgement for those who show no mercy. However, mercy is greater than judgement.

Faith needs to be put into practice What is the benefit, my brothers, in anyone saying, They have faith, But they have no actions. Belief cannot save him. If ever a brother or sister is without clothing, And may lack food for the day.

A Contextual Translation of The Letter by St James (draft v1.0) by Dr John N Sutherland

If someone says to them, "Off you go! In peace! Be cosey! Be comfortable!" But doesn't give them what their body needs What is the point?! And so faith without actions is as near as dead by itself.

Actions must be based on faith Or, some of you may say, "You have faith, but I have actions." Show me your faith separate from actions, And I will show you through my actions my faith. You believe that God is one? You are doing well. And the demons believe and tremble. You still must know - You empty person That Belief apart from Actions is dead!

Abraham believed and acted on it Avraham, Our Father, Was he not justified as he acted, When he offered up Yitsxaq[1], His Son, on the altar? See how his Faith worked together with his Actions, And as he acted so his faith grew. But still the scripture was fulfilled that says, Avraham believed in God And it was counted to be his goodness, And he was called a friend of god. So now you see that, Out of actions a person is justified, Not only out of belief.

Rahab put her belief into action too In the same way Raxab the whore, Was she not justified by actions? (when she welcomed the spies,

A Contextual Translation of The Letter by St James (draft v1.0) by Dr John N Sutherland

And then sent them out a different way).

You must believe and do For as the body without spirit is dead, So also belief apart from actions is dead. chapter 3 Not everyone can be a good teacher of God's truths Don't all become teachers, my brothers. You see, they will judged more critically. For many of us stumble. If there is one who does not stumble in words, This is a mature person who can bridle his whole body.

The tongue, the bit, the rudder and the match If we thrust a bit into horses' mouths, We can make them go in any direction. See also with the ship, Even large ones, Driven powerfully forward by the wind, She is steered by a small rudder, Wherever the helmsman wishes to take her. So it is also with the tongue. It is a very small part of the body, But it makes huge boasts. See how great a forest, Is burned by a small match. So too the tongue, Sets fire to the world, Through its unjustice. And the tongue, One of our body's parts, Spits on the whole body, And sets the fire started on its course, And burns like Gehenna.

Its easier to control Nature than words

A Contextual Translation of The Letter by St James (draft v1.0) by Dr John N Sutherland

For every wild animal, Bird, reptile and sea-creature, Has its nature controlled by people. But the tongue no-one can tame; It is restless for evil, And full of deadly poison. By it we bless Adonai and our father. And by it we also curse men, Who are made as a reflection of god.

Men and their words are perverse Out of the mouth comes blessings and cursing. This ought not to be, my brothers! These things should not happen. Surely the well cannot gush out, What is sweet and bitter? This isn't possible, my brothers! A fig tree cannot produce olives, Nor an olive bush produce figs.

Actions speak louder than words Is there any who is clever, Or understanding amongst you? Then let him show by his perfect actions and behaviour, That he works humbly and wisely. But, If in boiling bitterness, You act selfishly, Then you are debasing, And lying, Against the truth. This is not the wisdom which came down from above, But is earthly, Unspiritual, And demonic. For wherever there is jealousy and selfishness, There is disorder, And all kinds of evil goings-on.

A Contextual Translation of The Letter by St James (draft v1.0) by Dr John N Sutherland

Seek God's wisdom But the wisdom from above is primarily pure, Then peaceable, Gentle, Agreeable, Pregnant with mercy, With good fruits, Unprejudiced, And not hypocritical. For the fruits of justice are sown in peace, To those who make peace. chapter 4 The roots of evil in our lives From where comes fighting, And from where come disputes amongst you? Isn't it from here: From the lusts which battle among your parts? You lust, For what you cannot have. You would murder in jealousy, For what you cannot get. You dispute and argue, About what you haven't got, And didn't ask for. You demand and do not get, Because your requests are evil, And you would spend it , In self-gratification.

Its God or The World: make your mind up Adulterers! Don't you know, That the world-liker is in conflict with God? Whoever intends to be friend of the world, He makes himself an enemy of God. Do you suppose that there is no reason why, The scripture says,

A Contextual Translation of The Letter by St James (draft v1.0) by Dr John N Sutherland

That the The Spirit which lives in us, He longs deeply for us? For it is said, "God opposes the proud, "But to the humble he gives grace." So obey God. Resist The Devil, And he will run away from you. Draw near to God, And he will draw near to you.

Drop the pretence Purify hands, Wrong-doers, And cleanse hearts, Doubters. Speak sadness, and mourn, and cry. Speak your laughter into grief, Change your ways, And turn happiness into depression. Lay yourself low before God's face. Then he will lift you up.

Handle God's Law with respect and care Don't lie to or about each other, brothers. The one who bad-mouths his brother, He judges his brother, He speaks against law, And he judges law. But if you judge law, It is The Law Maker you judge! And he is The Law Giver, And he is judge, He who has the power, To save and to destroy. Who then are you to judge your neighbour?

Trust God, not your empty words Come!

A Contextual Translation of The Letter by St James (draft v1.0) by Dr John N Sutherland

What then of those who say, "Today (or tomorrow) we will go into the next city, "And we will do business there for a year, And we will profit from trading." Which of you are so well versed about tomorrow, That you will still be living, And breathing then? For it is a short time between, Your first, And last, Breath. Instead, speak like this, "If Adonai wishes it, "And we are still alive, "Then we will do this or that." But, still you are boasting, In your pretensions. All of this kind of boasting is evil.

Don't forget: do the right thing! If you know what the right thing to do is, Yet don't do it. That is evil. chapter 5 A trumpet blast against the currupt rich Now! Those who are rich: Cry out! Howl! For the miseries that are coming upon you. Your riches are rotten, And your clothes are being eaten by moth larvae. Your gold and silver have rusted, And their poison will be a warning to you. They will eat your flesh, Like fire which you stored up. In last days - look! -

A Contextual Translation of The Letter by St James (draft v1.0) by Dr John N Sutherland

The wages of your employees, Who labour in your workplaces - defrauded by you Their screams and shouts are harvested. These have been heard, By the ear of, Adonai Sabaoth. You who live in luxury in The Land, And have self-indulgently trained your hearts, For the day of slaughter. You are condemned! You have murdered the good, Who did not even resist you.

Look up! Wait! So, be patient then, brothers. Await the coming of Adonai. See how the vine-grower is patient, For the precious fruit of The Land. He patiently awaits the early, And the late rains. You too must be patient. Be strong in heart, brothers. For the return of Adonai is imminent.

Be united Brothers, don't complain about each other, So that you won't be judged. Look! The judge is standing at the door.

Look beyond your troubles Take as an example the brothers who are suffering. And the prophets who speak, In The Name of Adonai. Look! Consider the troubles Iob endured, Who you have heard about.

A Contextual Translation of The Letter by St James (draft v1.0) by Dr John N Sutherland

You know how it ended for Adonai. And you know Adonai, He is compassionate and merciful.

Don't make rash promises But overall, my brothers, don't make promises, Either by Heaven or by The Land, Or by anything else. But just let your yes be yes, And your no be no. Then you won't fall into judgement.

Don't give up hope: act! If anyone among you is suffering under evil, Tthen he should pray. If anyone is feeling upbeat, Let him play music. If anyone amongst you is sick, He should call the assembly elders, They should pray over him, Touching him with olive oil, In The Name of Adonai. If someone is faltering, He shall be saved by the statement of faith , And Adonai will uphold him. And if he has done wrong, He shall be forgiven. Pray over each other. Fess up your wrongdoings to each other, s So that you will be healed.

Always remember good examples The prayer of a good person, This is highly effective. Eliyahu was a person much like us, And he prayed a prayer that it would not rain. And it did not rain for three years,

A Contextual Translation of The Letter by St James (draft v1.0) by Dr John N Sutherland

And six months. And when he next prayed, It poured from the sky, And fell onto The Land, Which produced its fruits.

There is a way back to God from the dark paths of sin My brothers, If one of you wanders off from the truth, And another should bring him back, You know that this brings back, A wanderer from a deceptive path, He saves his soul from death, And many wrongdoings are buried.

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A Contextual Translation of The Letter by St James (draft v1.0) by Dr John N Sutherland