Jakobus

Kapitel 1

1 Jakobus, ein Knecht Jahwes und Jeschua Messias, den zwölf Stämmen in der Zerstreuung einen Gruß.

2 Meine Brüder, achtet es für lauter Freude, wenn ihr in mancherlei Anfechtungen fallt,

3 da ihr wisst, dass die Erprobung eures Glaubens Geduld wirkt.

4 Die Geduld aber soll ihr Werk vollkommen vollbringen, damit ihr vollkommen und vollständig seid und keinen Mangel habt.

5 Wenn es aber jemandem unter euch an Weisheit mangelt, so bitte er Jahwe, der jedermann gern gibt und niemandem Vorwürfe macht; so wird sie ihm gegeben werden.

6 Er bitte aber im Glauben und zweifle nicht; denn wer zweifelt, der gleicht einer Meereswoge, die vom Wind bewegt und hin und her geworfen wird.

7 Ein solcher Mensch denke nicht, dass er etwas von Jahwe empfangen werde.

8 Ein Mensch mit geteiltem Sinn ist unbeständig in allen seinen Wegen.

9 Der Bruder von niedrigem Stand aber rühme sich seiner Höhe;

10 der Reiche aber seiner Niedrigkeit; denn wie eine Blume des Grases wird er vergehen.

11 Denn die Sonne geht auf mit ihrer Glut und verdorrt das Gras, und seine Blume fällt ab, und die Schönheit seiner Gestalt vergeht; so wird auch der Reiche in seinen Wegen verwelken.

12 Selig ist der Mann, der die Anfechtung erduldet; denn nachdem er sich bewährt hat, wird er die Krone des Lebens empfangen, die Jeschua denen verheißen hat, die ihn lieben.

13 Niemand sage, wenn er versucht wird: Ich werde von Jahwe versucht; denn Jahwe kann nicht vom Bösen versucht werden, und er selbst versucht niemanden;

14 sondern ein jeder wird versucht, wenn er von seiner eigenen Lust fortgezogen und gelockt wird.

15 Danach, wenn die Lust empfangen hat, gebiert sie die Sünde; die Sünde aber, wenn sie vollendet ist, gebiert den Tod.

16 Irrt euch nicht, meine geliebten Brüder.

17 Alle gute Gabe und alle vollkommene Gabe kommt von oben herab, von dem Vater der Lichter, bei dem keine Veränderung ist und kein Wechsel von Licht und Finsternis.

18 Nach seinem Willen hat er uns gezeugt durch das Wort der Wahrheit, damit wir eine Art Erstlinge seiner Geschöpfe seien.

19 Darum, meine geliebten Brüder, sei jeder Mensch schnell zum Hören, langsam zum Reden, langsam zum Zorn;

20 denn des Menschen Zorn wirkt nicht die Gerechtigkeit Jahwes.

21 Darum legt ab alle Unreinigkeit und allen Überfluss an Bosheit und nehmt das eingepflanzte Wort mit Sanftmut an, das eure Seelen retten kann.

22 Seid aber Täter des Wortes und nicht Hörer allein, womit ihr euch selbst betrügt.

23 Denn wenn jemand ein Hörer des Wortes ist und nicht ein Täter, der gleicht einem Mann, der sein natürliches Angesicht in einem Spiegel beschaut;

24 denn er beschaut sich selbst und geht davon und vergisst sogleich, wie er war.

25 Wer aber in das vollkommene Gesetz der Freiheit hineinschaut und darin beharrt und nicht ein vergesslicher Hörer, sondern ein Täter des Werkes ist, der wird selig sein in seinem Tun.

26 Wenn sich jemand unter euch fromm dünkt und seine Zunge nicht im Zaum hält, sondern sein Herz betrügt, dessen Frömmigkeit ist nichtig.

27 Eine reine und unbefleckte Frömmigkeit vor Jahwe und dem Vater ist diese: die Waisen und Witwen in ihrer Trübsal zu besuchen und sich selbst von der Welt unbefleckt zu bewahren.

Kapitel 2

1 My brethren, have not the faith of our Yeshua Messiah, the Yeshua of glory, with respect of persons.

2 For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;

3 And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:

4 Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?

5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not Yahweh chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?

6 But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?

7 Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?

8 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:

9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.

10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.

12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.

13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.

14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?

15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,

16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?

17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

19 Thou believest that there is one Yahweh; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?

22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?

23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed Yahweh, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of Yahweh.

24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?

26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Kapitel 3

1 My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.

2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.

3 Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.

4 Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.

5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!

6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.

7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:

8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

9 Therewith bless we Yahweh, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of Yahweh.

10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.

11 Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?

12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.

13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.

14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.

15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.

16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

Kapitel 4

1 From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?

2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.

3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with Yahweh? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of Yahweh.

5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?

6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, Yahweh resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

7 Submit yourselves therefore to Yahweh. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

8 Draw nigh to Yahweh, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.

10 Humble yourselves in the sight of Yeshua, and he shall lift you up.

11 Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.

12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?

13 Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:

14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

15 For that ye ought to say, If Yeshua will, we shall live, and do this, or that.

16 But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.

17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

Kapitel 5

1 Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.

2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.

3 Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.

4 Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of Yahweh of sabaoth.

5 Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.

6 Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.

7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of Yeshua. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.

8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of Yeshua draweth nigh.

9 Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.

10 Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of Yahweh, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.

11 Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of Yeshua; that Yeshua is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

12 But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.

13 Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.

14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of Yeshua:

15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and Yeshua shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

17 Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.

18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.

19 Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;

20 Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.