Bible in a Year.

On day 350, James 1-2 teaches us about the practical application of faith in everyday life. Philippians 3-4 inspires joy, perseverance, and trust in God, while Proverbs 30:1-6 offers reflections on wisdom, human limitations, and the fear of the Lord, preparing us for the closing of the year.

Chapter 1

1. James the servant of God, and of our Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.

2. My brethren, count it all joy, when you shall fall into divers temptations;

3. Knowing that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

4. And patience hath a perfect work; that you may be perfect and entire, failing in nothing.

5. But if any of you want wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all men abundantly, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

6. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea, which is moved and carried about by the wind.

7. Therefore let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

8. A double minded man is inconstant in all his ways.

9. But let the brother of low condition glory in his exaltation:

10. And the rich, in his being low; because as the flower of the grass shall he pass away.

11. For the sun rose with a burning heat, and parched the grass, and the flower thereof fell off, and the beauty of the shape thereof perished: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.

12. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation; for when he hath been proved, he shall receive a crown of life, which God hath promised to them that love him.

13. Let no man, when he is tempted, say that he is tempted by God. For God is not a tempter of evils, and he tempteth no man.

14. But every man is tempted by his own concupiscence, being drawn away and allured.

15. Then when concupiscence hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin. But sin, when it is completed, begetteth death.

16. Do not err, therefore, my dearest brethren.

17. Every best gift, and every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no change, nor shadow of alteration.

18. For of his own will hath he begotten us by the word of truth, that we might be some beginning of his creatures.

19. You know, my dearest brethren. And let every man be swift to hear, but slow to speak, and slow to anger.

20. For the anger of man worketh not the justice of God.

21. Wherefore casting away all uncleanness, and abundance of naughtiness, with meekness receive the ingrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

22. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

23. For if a man be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he shall be compared to a man beholding his own countenance in a glass.

24. For he beheld himself, and went his way, and presently forgot what manner of man he was.

25. But he that hath looked into the perfect law of liberty, and hath continued therein, not becoming a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work; this man shall be blessed in his deed.

26. And if any man think himself to be religious, not bridling his tongue, but deceiving his own heart, this man's religion is vain.

27. Religion clean and undefiled before God and the Father, is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their tribulation: and to keep one's self unspotted from this world.

Chapter 2

1. My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ of glory with respect of persons.

2. For if there shall come into your assembly a man having a golden ring, in fine apparel, and there shall come in also a poor man in mean attire,

3. And you have respect to him that is clothed with the fine apparel, and shall say to him: Sit thou here well; but say to the poor man: Stand thou there, or sit under my footstool:

4. Do you not judge within yourselves, and are become judges of unjust thoughts?

5. Hearken, my dearest brethren: hath not God chosen the poor in this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which God hath promised to them that love him?

6. But you have dishonoured the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you by might? and do not they draw you before the judgment seats?

7. Do not they blaspheme the good name that is invoked upon you?

8. If then you fulfil the royal law, according to the scriptures, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself; you do well.

9. But if you have respect to persons, you commit sin, being reproved by the law as transgressors.

10. And whosoever shall keep the whole law, but offend in one point, is become guilty of all.

11. For he that said, Thou shalt not commit adultery, said also, Thou shalt not kill. Now if thou do not commit adultery, but shalt kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.

12. So speak ye, and so do, as being to be judged by the law of liberty.

13. For judgment without mercy to him that hath not done mercy. And mercy exalteth itself above judgment.

14. What shall it profit, my brethren, if a man say he hath faith, but hath not works? Shall faith be able to save him?

15. And if a brother or sister be naked, and want daily food:

16. And one of you say to them: Go in peace, be ye warmed and filled; yet give them not those things that are necessary for the body, what shall it profit?

17. So faith also, if it have not works, is dead in itself.

18. But some man will say: Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without works; and I will shew thee, by works, my faith.

19. Thou believest that there is one God. Thou dost 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, offering up Isaac his son upon the altar?

22. Seest thou, that faith did co-operate with his works; and by works faith was made perfect?

23. And the scripture was fulfilled, saying: Abraham believed God, and it was reputed to him to justice, and he was called the friend of God.

24. Do you see that by works a man is justified; and not by faith only?

25. And in like manner also Rahab the harlot, was not she justified by works, receiving the messengers, and sending them out another way?

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

Chapter 3

1. As to the rest, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not wearisome, but to you it is necessary.

2. Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.

3. For we are the circumcision, who in spirit serve God; and glory in Christ Jesus, not having confidence in the flesh.

4. Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other thinketh he may have confidence in the flesh, I more,

5. Being circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; according to the law, a Pharisee:

6. According to zeal, persecuting the church of God; according to the justice that is in the law, conversing without blame.

7. But the things that were gain to me, the same I have counted loss for Christ.

8. Furthermore I count all things to be but loss for the excellent knowledge of Jesus Christ my Lord; for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but as dung, that I may gain Christ:

9. And may be found in him, not having my justice, which is of the law, but that which is of the faith of Christ Jesus, which is of God, justice in faith:

10. That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable to his death,

11. If by any means I may attain to the resurrection which is from the dead.

12. Not as though I has already attained, or were already perfect; but I follow after, if I may by any means apprehend, wherein I am also apprehended by Christ Jesus.

13. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended. But one thing I do: forgetting the things that are behind, and stretching forth myself to those that are before,

14. I press towards the mark, to the prize of the supernal vocation of God in Christ Jesus.

15. Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, be thus minded; and if in any thing you be otherwise minded, this also God will reveal to you.

16. Nevertheless whereunto we are come, that we be of the same mind, let us also continue in the same rule.

17. Be ye followers of me, brethren, and observe them who walk so as you have our model.

18. For many walk, of whom I have told you often (and now tell you weeping), that they are enemies of the cross of Christ;

19. Whose end is destruction; whose God is their belly; and whose glory is in their shame; who mind earthly things.

20. But our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, our Lord Jesus Christ,

21. Who will reform the body of our lowness, made like to the body of his glory, according to the operation whereby also he is able to subdue all things unto himself.

Chapter 4

1. Therefore, my dearly beloved brethren, and most desired, my joy and my crown; so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.

2. I beg of Evodia, and I beseech Syntyche, to be of one mind in the Lord.

3. And I entreat thee also, my sincere companion, help those women who have laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement and the rest of my fellow labourers, whose names are in the book of life.

4. Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I say, rejoice.

5. Let your modesty be known to all men. The Lord is nigh.

6. Be nothing solicitous; but in every thing, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your petitions be made known to God.

7. And the peace of God, which surpasseth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

8. For the rest, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever modest, whatsoever just, whatsoever holy, whatsoever lovely, whatsoever of good fame, if there be any virtue, if any praise of discipline, think on these things.

9. The things which you have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, these do ye, and the God of peace shall be with you.

10. Now I rejoice in the Lord exceedingly, that now at length your thought for me hath flourished again, as you did also think; but you were busied.

11. I speak not as it were for want. For I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, to be content therewith.

12. I know both how to be brought low, and I know how to abound: (everywhere, and in all things I am instructed) both to be full, and to be hungry; both to abound, and to suffer need.

13. I can do all these things in him who strengtheneth me.

14. Nevertheless you have done well in communicating to my tribulation.

15. And you also know, O Philippians, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but you only:

16. For unto Thessalonica also you sent once and again for my use.

17. Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that may abound to your account.

18. But I have all, and abound: I am filled, having received from Epaphroditus the things you sent, an odour of sweetness, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.

19. And may my God supply all your want, according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

20. Now to God and our Father be glory world without end. Amen.

21. Salute ye every saint in Christ Jesus.

22. The brethren who are with me, salute you. All the saints salute you; especially they that are of Caesar's household.

23. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

1. The words of Gatherer the son of Vomiter. The vision which the man spoke with whom God is, and who being strengthened by God, abiding with him, said:

2. I am the most foolish of men, and the wisdom of men is not with me.

3. I have not learned wisdom, and have not known the science of saints.

4. Who hath ascended up into heaven, and descended? who hath held the wind in his hands? who hath bound up the waters together as in a garment? who hath raised up all the borders of the earth? what is his name, and what is the name of his son, if thou knowest?

5. Every word of God is fire tried: he is a buckler to them that hope in him.

6. Add not any thing to his words, lest thou be reproved, and found a liar: