16. Don’t be deceived, my dearly loved brothers.
17. Every generous act and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights; with Him there is no variation or shadow cast by turning.
18. By His own choice, He gave us a new birth by the message of truth so that we would be the firstfruits of His creatures.
19. My dearly loved brothers, understand this: Everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger,
20. for man’s anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness.
21. Therefore, ridding yourselves of all moral filth and evil, humbly receive the implanted word, which is able to save you.
22. But 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 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.
26. If anyone thinks he is religious without controlling his tongue, then his religion is useless and he deceives himself.