By The Water
James has 5 chapters and 108 verses. In the King James text that is 2,304 words, which takes about 12 min to read at an ordinary pace of 200 words a minute — five blunt chapters about money, the tongue and whether faith shows up in behaviour.
James in numbers
| Chapters | 5 |
|---|---|
| Verses | 108 |
| Words (KJV) | 2,304 |
| Reading time at 200 wpm | 12 min |
| Testament | New Testament |
| Type of writing | Wisdom letter |
| Author | James, traditionally the brother of Jesus |
| Place in the Bible | Possibly the earliest New Testament letter |
Counted from the King James text in the By The Water app, not estimated. See the same figures for all 66 books.
James is the New Testament’s wisdom book and it does not ease you in. Five chapters, 108 verses, about twelve minutes of reading, and in that space it takes on favouritism toward the rich, the damage done by careless speech, planning as if tomorrow were guaranteed, and employers who withhold wages.
It reads much more like Proverbs, or like Jesus’ own teaching, than like Paul. Short sharp statements, practical instructions, hardly any theological argument. The famous line — “faith without works is dead” — sits at the centre of chapter 2 and has been argued about ever since; Luther called the letter an epistle of straw, which is about the strongest review any biblical book has received.
Read alongside Romans it is not a contradiction so much as a different question. Paul is asking how a person is put right with God; James is asking how you can tell when it has happened.
Key chapters in James
- James 1:2–8 — Trials, endurance and asking for wisdom.
- James 1:22 — “Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only.”
- James 2 — Favouritism, and faith without works.
- James 3 — The tongue — a small fire in a large forest.
- James 5 — A warning to the rich, and prayer for the sick.
Read James in 5 days
Split by verse count rather than by chapter, so the days come out even — no more than about 3 minutes on the heaviest day. Print it, or tick it off on screen.
| Done | Day | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | James 1 | |
| Day 2 | James 2 | |
| Day 3 | James 3 | |
| Day 4 | James 4 | |
| Day 5 | James 5 |
Where James falls in a one-year plan
If you are reading the whole Bible in 2027, here is when you reach James in each of the four plans on this site — computed from the plans themselves, with 2027 dates.
| Plan | When you read James | Reading days |
|---|---|---|
| Bible in a Year | Days 305–311 (Mon, Nov 1 to Sun, Nov 7) | 5 days |
| Chronological | Days 322–323 (Thu, Nov 18 to Fri, Nov 19) | 2 days |
| Cover to Cover | Days 355–356 (Tue, Dec 21 to Wed, Dec 22) | 2 days |
| New to the Bible | Days 83–84 (Wed, Mar 24 to Thu, Mar 25) | 2 days |
Each plan is printable in full: compare all four reading plans.
Paper plans work — until you miss a day
A printed plan is a good start. The trouble usually comes in February: a busy week, three unticked boxes, then six, and the plan quietly ends. By The Water has this exact plan built in, and it is designed for the days life gets in the way.
- Today's reading, readyOpen the app and today's chapters are waiting on the Today tab. No hunting for where you left off.
- Every chapter tracked and savedEach chapter you read is checked off and saved to your account, so a new phone doesn't mean starting over.
- See how far you've comeA progress ring shows how much of the Bible you've read, and how far through the current book you are.
- A finish date that moves with you“Started Jan 2027 · Estimated finish: Dec 2027” updates as you read, so you always know where you stand.
- Miss a day without falling apartThe plan picks up at your next unread chapter, not a calendar date — so a missed week never becomes a wall of overdue readings.
- Reminders and streaksA daily reminder at the time you choose, and a reading streak to keep you coming back.
Free to start: the reading plans, progress tracking, streaks and reminders are all free in the app.
Nearby books
- The Book of Revelation — 22 chapters, 1 hr
- The Book of Ephesians — 6 chapters, 15 min
- The Book of Romans — 16 chapters, 47 min
- All 66 books — chapters, verses and reading time
- How long does it take to read the whole Bible?