Hearing and Doing the Word

19 My dearly loved brothers, understand this: Everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger,(A) 20 for man’s anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness. 21 Therefore, ridding yourselves of all moral filth and evil,[a] humbly receive the implanted word, which is able to save you.[b](B)

22 But(C) be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 Because if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man looking at his own face[c] in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom and perseveres in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but one who does good works—this person will be blessed in what he does.(D)

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Footnotes

  1. James 1:21 Lit evil excess
  2. James 1:21 Lit save your souls
  3. James 1:23 Lit at the face of his birth

Listening and Doing

19 My dear brothers and sisters,(A) take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak(B) and slow to become angry, 20 because human anger(C) does not produce the righteousness that God desires. 21 Therefore, get rid of(D) all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you,(E) which can save you.

22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.(F) 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom,(G) and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.(H)

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