James

James is sometimes called "the Proverbs of the New Testament" for its direct, practical style. The letter deals with trials, wisdom (with the promise that God gives to those who ask, without reproach), unequal treatment of rich and poor in the community, the power of the tongue, internal quarrels, plans made without reference to God and prayer for the sick. The most debated line is in chapter 2: "faith apart from works is dead" — not a contradiction of Paul, but another angle: for James, works are the evidence of faith, not its price. It is one of the most useful letters for self-examination and one of the shortest to read in a single sitting.