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Monday, July 28th, 2025
the Week of Proper 12 / Ordinary 17
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Read the Bible

New Century Version

James 1:2

My brothers and sisters, when you have many kinds of troubles, you should be full of joy,

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Afflictions and Adversities;   Joy;   Temptation;   Scofield Reference Index - Test-Tempt;   Thompson Chain Reference - Temptation;   Tests, Spiritual;   The Topic Concordance - Faith/faithfulness;   Patience;   Trial;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Holiness;   Joy;   Temptation;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Tempt;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Guidance;   Joy;   Providence;   Satan;   Sorrow;   Testing;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Joy;   Temptation, Test;   Thankfulness, Thanksgiving;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Afflictions;   Temptation;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - James, the General Epistle of;   Matthew, the Gospel According to;   Peter, the Epistles of;   Salutation;   Satan;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Affliction;   James, the Letter;   Joy;   Patience;   Suffering;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - James, Epistle of;   Peter, First Epistle of;   Temptation;   Text of the New Testament;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Cheerfulness ;   Evil;   James ;   James Epistle of;   Joy;   Lord's Prayer (Ii);   Temptation, Trial;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Temptation;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Sa'tan;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Affliction;   Divers;   James, Epistle of;   Joy;   Regeneration;   Sirach, Book of;   Tempt;  

Devotionals:

- Daily Light on the Daily Path - Devotion for November 7;   Every Day Light - Devotion for December 11;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials,
King James Version (1611)
My brethren, count it all ioy when ye fall into diuers temptations,
King James Version
My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
English Standard Version
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,
New American Standard Bible
Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you encounter various trials,
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,
Berean Standard Bible
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds,
Contemporary English Version
My friends, be glad, even if you have a lot of trouble.
Complete Jewish Bible
Regard it all as joy, my brothers, when you face various kinds of temptations;
Darby Translation
Count it all joy, my brethren, when ye fall into various temptations,
Easy-to-Read Version
My brothers and sisters, you will have many kinds of trouble. But this gives you a reason to be very happy.
Geneva Bible (1587)
My brethren, count it exceeding ioy, when ye fall into diuers tentations,
George Lamsa Translation
MY brethren, take it as a joy to you when you enter into many and divers temptations;
Good News Translation
My friends, consider yourselves fortunate when all kinds of trials come your way,
Lexham English Bible
Consider it all joy, my brothers, whenever you encounter various trials,
Literal Translation
My brothers count it all joy when you fall into various trials,
Amplified Bible
Consider it nothing but joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you fall into various trials.
American Standard Version
Count it all joy, my brethren, when ye fall into manifold temptations;
Bible in Basic English
Let it be all joy to you, my brothers, when you undergo tests of every sort;
Hebrew Names Version
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you fall into various temptations,
International Standard Version
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you are involved in various trials,Matthew 5:12; Acts 5:41; Hebrews 10:34; 1 Peter 1:6;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
All joy shall be to you, my brethren, when you shall have entered into temptations many and various.
Murdock Translation
Let it be all joy to you, my brethren, when ye enter into many and various trials.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
My brethren, count it all ioy whe ye fall into diuers temptations:
English Revised Version
Count it all joy, my brethren, when ye fall into manifold temptations;
World English Bible
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you fall into various temptations,
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
My brethren, count it all joy, when ye fall into divers temptations, Knowing that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
Weymouth's New Testament
Reckon it nothing but joy, my brethren, whenever you find yourselves hedged in by various trials.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
My britheren, deme ye al ioye, whanne ye fallen in to diuerse temptaciouns, witynge,
Update Bible Version
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you fall into manifold temptations;
Webster's Bible Translation
My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations.
New English Translation
My brothers and sisters, consider it nothing but joy when you fall into all sorts of trials,
New King James Version
My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,
New Living Translation
Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.
New Life Bible
My Christian brothers, you should be happy when you have all kinds of tests.
New Revised Standard
My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy,
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
All Joy, account it, my brethren, whensoever ye fall in with, manifold, temptations, -
Douay-Rheims Bible
My brethren, count it all joy, when you shall fall into divers temptations:
Revised Standard Version
Count it all joy, my brethren, when you meet various trials,
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
My brethren count it excedynge ioye when ye faule into divers teptacions
Young's Literal Translation
All joy count [it], my brethren, when ye may fall into temptations manifold;
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
My brethren, counte it exceadynge ioye whe ye fall in to diuers temptacions,
Mace New Testament (1729)
Consider the various tryals that surround you, my brethren, as matter of great joy; knowing this,
THE MESSAGE
Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.
Simplified Cowboy Version
Listen up cowboys, don't sweat it when you go through the rough and rank patches of life. Shoot, you ought to be glad you go through them because it's these things that'll sure enough make a man out of ya. These times will knock the quit right out of ya and your

Contextual Overview

2 My brothers and sisters, when you have many kinds of troubles, you should be full of joy, 3 because you know that these troubles test your faith, and this will give you patience. 4 Let your patience show itself perfectly in what you do. Then you will be perfect and complete and will have everything you need. 5 But if any of you needs wisdom, you should ask God for it. He is generous to everyone and will give you wisdom without criticizing you. 6 But when you ask God, you must believe and not doubt. Anyone who doubts is like a wave in the sea, blown up and down by the wind. 7Such doubters are thinking two different things at the same time, and they cannot decide about anything they do. They should not think they will receive anything from the Lord. 9 Believers who are poor should take pride that God has made them spiritually rich. 10 Those who are rich should take pride that God has shown them that they are spiritually poor. The rich will die like a wild flower in the grass. 11 The sun rises with burning heat and dries up the plants. The flower falls off, and its beauty is gone. In the same way the rich will die while they are still taking care of business. 12 When people are tempted and still continue strong, they should be happy. After they have proved their faith, God will reward them with life forever. God promised this to all those who love him.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

count: James 1:12, Matthew 5:10-12, Luke 6:22, Luke 6:23, Acts 5:41, Romans 8:17, Romans 8:18, Romans 8:35-37, 2 Corinthians 12:9, 2 Corinthians 12:10, Philippians 1:29, Philippians 2:17, Colossians 1:24, Hebrews 10:34, 1 Peter 4:13-16

divers: Hebrews 11:36-38, 1 Peter 1:6-8, 2 Peter 2:9, Revelation 2:10

Reciprocal: Judges 14:14 - Out of the eater 1 Kings 17:17 - the son of the woman Job 23:10 - he hath Proverbs 18:14 - spirit Proverbs 27:17 - so Proverbs 29:6 - but Ecclesiastes 7:3 - by Daniel 11:35 - to try Habakkuk 3:18 - I will rejoice Matthew 5:12 - Rejoice Mark 10:30 - with persecutions Luke 6:21 - ye that weep John 16:20 - your Acts 13:52 - were Acts 16:25 - sang Acts 20:19 - temptations Romans 5:3 - but we 2 Corinthians 1:7 - as ye 2 Corinthians 4:8 - yet 2 Corinthians 6:10 - sorrowful 2 Corinthians 7:4 - I am filled Philippians 2:18 - do Philippians 3:1 - rejoice Philippians 4:4 - alway Colossians 1:11 - unto Hebrews 11:17 - when James 1:13 - no man 1 Peter 4:16 - but Revelation 13:10 - Here

Cross-References

Genesis 1:12
The earth produced plants with grain for seeds and trees that made fruits with seeds in them. Each seed grew its own kind of plant. God saw that all this was good.
Genesis 1:14
Then God said, "Let there be lights in the sky to separate day from night. These lights will be used for signs, seasons, days, and years.
Job 26:7
God stretches the northern sky out over empty space and hangs the earth on nothing.
Job 26:14
And these are only a small part of God's works. We only hear a small whisper of him. Who could understand God's thundering power?"
Psalms 33:6
The sky was made at the Lord 's command. By the breath from his mouth, he made all the stars.
Isaiah 45:18
The Lord created the heavens. He is the God who formed the earth and made it. He did not want it to be empty, but he wanted life on the earth. This is what the Lord says: "I am the Lord . There is no other God.
Nahum 2:10
Nineveh is robbed, ruined, and destroyed. The people lose their courage, and their knees knock. Stomachs ache, and everyone's face grows pale.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

My brethren,.... Not only according to the flesh, he being a Jew as they were; but in a spiritual sense, they being born again of the same grace, belonging to the same family and household of faith, and having the same Father, and being all the children of God, by faith in Christ Jesus:

count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; not the temptations of Satan, or temptations to sin; for these cannot be matter of joy, but grief; these are fiery darts, and give a great deal of uneasiness and trouble; but afflictions and persecutions for the sake of the Gospel, which are so called here and elsewhere, because they are trials of the faith of God's people, and of other graces of the Spirit of God. God by these tempts his people, as he did Abraham, when he called him to sacrifice his son; he thereby tried his faith, fear, love, and obedience; so by afflictions, God tries the graces of his people; not that he might know them, for he is not ignorant of them, but that they might be made manifest to others; and these are "divers": many are the afflictions of the righteous; through much tribulation they must enter the kingdom; it is a great fight of afflictions which they endure, as these believers did; their trials came from different quarters; they were persecuted by their countrymen the Jews, and were distressed by the Gentiles, among whom they lived; and their indignities and reproaches were many; and their sufferings of different sorts, as confiscation of goods, imprisonment of body, banishment, scourgings, and death in various shapes: and these they "fall" into; not by chance, nor altogether at an unawares, or unexpectedly; but they fell into them through the wickedness and malice of their enemies, and did not bring them upon themselves through any crime or enormity they were guilty of: and when this was their case, the apostle exhorts them to count it all joy, or matter of joy, of exceeding great joy, even of the greatest joy; not that these afflictions were joyous in themselves, but in their circumstances, effects, and consequences; as they tried, and exercised, and improved the graces of the Spirit, and worked for their good, spiritual and eternal, and produced in them the peaceable fruit of righteousness; and as they were attended with the presence and Spirit of God, and of glory; and as they made for, and issued in the glory of God; and because of that great reward in heaven which would follow them; see Matthew 5:11. The Jews have a saying g,

"whoever rejoices in afflictions that come upon him, brings salvation to the world.''

g T. Bab. Taanith, fol. 8. 1.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

My brethren - Not brethren as Jews, but as Christians. Compare James 2:1.

Count it all joy - Regard it as a thing to rejoice in; a matter which should afford you happiness. You are not to consider it as a punishment, a curse, or a calamity, but as a fit subject of felicitation. Compare the notes at Matthew 5:12.

When ye fall into divers temptations - Oh the meaning of the word “temptations,” see the notes at Matthew 4:1. It is now commonly used in the sense of placing allurements before others to induce them to sin, and in this sense the word seems to be used in James 1:13-14 of this chapter. Here, however, the word is used in the sense of trials, to wit, by persecution, poverty, calamity of any kind. These cannot be said to be direct inducements or allurements to sin, but they try the faith, and they show whether he who is tried is disposed to adhere to his faith in God, or whether he will apostatize. They so far coincide with temptations, properly so called, as to test the religion of men. They differ from temptations, properly so called, in that they are not brought before the mind for the express purpose of inducing people to sin. In this sense it is true that God never tempts men, James 1:13-14. On the sentiment in the passage before us, see the notes at 1 Peter 1:6-7. The word “divers” here refers to the various kinds of trials which they might experience - sickness, poverty, bereavement, persecution, etc. They were to count it a matter of joy that their religion was subjected to anything that tried it. It is well for us to have the reality of our religion tested, in whatever way it may be done.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse James 1:2. Count it all joy — The word πειρασμος, which we translate temptation, signifies affliction, persecution, or trial of any kind; and in this sense it is used here, not intending diabolic suggestion, or what is generally understood by the word temptation.


 
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