James 1

“James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.” The number twelve makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

“My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;” The line’s distinctive content terms include brethren, count, divers. Its relationship to verses 1 and 3 shows what work it does in this passage.

“Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.” Naming Knowing keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” The line’s distinctive content terms include perfect, entire, nothing. Its relationship to verses 3 and 5 shows what work it does in this passage.

“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and…” The line’s distinctive content terms include driven, faith, nothing. Its relationship to verses 5 and 7 shows what work it does in this passage.

“For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.” The line’s distinctive content terms include double, minded, unstable. Its relationship to verses 9 shows what work it does in this passage.

“Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:” The line’s distinctive content terms include brother, degree, exalted. Its relationship to verses 8 and 10 shows what work it does in this passage.

“But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any…” The verse names God rather than leaving the action without a source. Watch whether the next line continues, answers, or contrasts that action.

“But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.” The line’s distinctive content terms include drawn, enticed, lust. Its relationship to verses 13 shows what work it does in this passage.

“Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” The line’s distinctive content terms include bringeth, conceived, death. Its relationship to verses 16 shows what work it does in this passage.

“Do not err, my beloved brethren.” The line’s distinctive content terms include beloved, brethren. Its relationship to verses 15 and 17 shows what work it does in this passage.

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no…” Naming Every and Father keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.” The line’s distinctive content terms include begat, creatures, firstfruits. Its relationship to verses 17 and 19 shows what work it does in this passage.

“Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” The line’s distinctive content terms include deceiving, doers, hearers. Its relationship to verses 23 shows what work it does in this passage.

“For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s…” The line’s distinctive content terms include bridleth, deceiveth, heart. Its relationship to verses 25 and 27 shows what work it does in this passage.

“Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction…” Naming Father keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.