New Testament
The Letter of James
The Letter of James is the twentieth of the 27 books of the New Testament: 5 chapters and 108 verses.
About James
About James · Wisdom letter
James is the New Testament's wisdom book: short, blunt paragraphs on trials, favoritism toward the rich, the untamable tongue, quarrels, presumption about tomorrow, and withheld wages. Tradition identifies the author as James, the brother of the Lord and leader of the Jerusalem church, writing to Jewish believers scattered abroad. It was written to demolish the idea that faith can live without works — faith without works is dead — and its instruction that the sick call the presbyters for anointing grounds a sacrament of the Church.
| Testament | New Testament — book 20 of 27, 66 of 73 in the Bible |
|---|---|
| Canon | Protocanonical (in every Christian canon) |
| Chapters | 5 |
| Verses | 108, as Bless numbers them |
| Latin | Clementine Vulgate, every chapter |
| Bp. Challoner | Summaries of all 5 chapters · 6 notes |
| Catechism | 24 paragraphs cite it |
Chapter by chapter
All 5 chapters, in brief.
Bishop Richard Challoner’s summary of each chapter, from his revision of the Douay-Rheims (1749–52). Open a chapter for the full text.
James 1
27 versesThe benefit of tribulations. Prayer with faith. God is the author of all good, but not of evil. We must be slow to anger and not hearers only, but doers of the word. Of bridling the tongue and of pure religion.
James 2
26 versesAgainst respect of persons. The danger of transgressing one point of the law. Faith is dead without works.
James 3
18 versesOf the evils of the tongue. Of the difference between the earthly and heavenly wisdom.
James 4
17 versesThe evils that flow from yielding to concupiscence and being friends to this world. Admonitions against pride, detraction and the like.
James 5
20 versesA woe to the rich that oppress the poor. Exhortations to patience and to avoid swearing. Of the anointing the sick, confession of sins and fervour in prayer.
Bp. Richard Challoner · chapter summaries
In the comments
What the saints said.
10 quotations from 10 saints linked to passages of James in Bless. Each names the work it comes from.
St. Gregory the Great · on James 2:26
On this verse
The proof of love is in the works. Where love exists, it works great things. But when it ceases to act, it ceases to exist.
Homilies on the Gospels, 30, c. 591
St. Catherine of Siena · on James 1:12
On this theme
Nothing great is ever achieved without much enduring.
Letter to Raymond of Capua, 1375
St. Leo the Great · on James 1:12
On this theme
Virtue is nothing without the trial of temptation, for there is no conflict without an enemy, no victory without strife.
Sermon 22 on the Nativity, c. 441
St. Thérèse of Lisieux · on James 1:17
On this theme
Everything is grace.
Story of a Soul, ch. 10, 1897
St. Jerome · on James 1:22
On this theme
Let your actions never belie your words.
Letter 52 to Nepotian, 394
St. Ignatius of Loyola · on James 2:17
On this theme
Love ought to manifest itself in deeds rather than in words.
Spiritual Exercises, 230, 1548
4 more, on the chapter pages
- James 2:17St. Vincent de Paul
- James 4:8St. Ambrose
- James 4:8St. Isidore of Seville
- James 5:20St. Rose of Lima
Coming up
Read at Mass.
From October 29, 2026 to October 28, 2027, James is read at the principal Mass on 8 days in the US calendar. The next 8 readings:
| Date | Celebration | Reading | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| computed | Wednesday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time | Alleluia | James 1:18 |
| computed | Saturday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time | Alleluia | James 1:21bc |
| computed | Sts. Joachim and Anne, Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary | Alleluia | James 1:18 |
| computed | Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time | Second Reading | James 1:17-18, 21b-22, 27 |
| computed | Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time | Alleluia | James 1:18 |
| computed | Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time | Second Reading | James 2:1-5 |
| computed | Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time | Second Reading | James 2:14-18 |
| computed | Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time | Second Reading | James 3:16—4:3 |
| computed | Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time | Second Reading | James 5:1-6 |
| computed | St. Scholastica, Virgin | Alleluia | James 1:21bc |
| computed | Sts. Cyril, Monk, and Methodius, Bishop | First Reading | James 1:1-11 |
| computed | Tuesday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time | First Reading | James 1:12-18 |
| computed | Wednesday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time | First Reading | James 1:19-27 |
| computed | Thursday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time | First Reading | James 2:1-9 |
| computed | Friday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time | First Reading | James 2:14-24, 26 |
| computed | Saturday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time | First Reading | James 3:1-10 |
| computed | Monday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time | First Reading | James 3:13-18 |
| computed | Wednesday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time | First Reading | James 4:13-17 |
| computed | Thursday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time | First Reading | James 5:1-6 |
| computed | Friday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time | First Reading | James 5:9-12 |
| computed | Saturday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time | First Reading | James 5:13-20 |
| computed | Wednesday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time | Alleluia | James 1:18 |
| computed | St. Ignatius of Loyola, Priest | Alleluia | James 1:18 |
| computed | Third Sunday of Advent | Second Reading | James 5:7-10 |
No more readings are listed here; the liturgical calendar has every date through December 31, 2028.
Dates after May 31, 2027 are computed by Bless from the US Lectionary cycle — confirm with your parish.