James 2
Don’t show favoritism
1 My brothers and sisters, when you show favoritism you deny the faithfulness of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has been resurrected in glory.2 Imagine two people coming into your meeting. One has a gold ring and fine clothes, while the other is poor, dressed in filthy rags.3 Then suppose that you were to take special notice of the one wearing fine clothes, saying, "Here’s an excellent place. Sit here." But to the poor person you say, "Stand over there"; or, "Here, sit at my feet."
4 Wouldn’t you have shown favoritism among yourselves and become evil-minded judges?
5 My dear brothers and sisters, listen! Hasn’t God chosen those who are poor by worldly standards to be rich in terms of faith? Hasn’t God chosen the poor as heirs of the kingdom he has promised to those who love him?6 But you have dishonored the poor. Don’t the wealthy make life difficult for you? Aren’t they the ones who drag you into court?
7 Aren’t they the ones who insult the good name spoken over you at your baptism?
8 You do well when you really fulfill the royal law found in scripture, Love your neighbor as yourself. t9 But when you show favoritism, you are committing a sin, and by that same law you are exposed as a lawbreaker.10 Anyone who tries to keep all of the Law but fails at one point is guilty of failing to keep all of it.11 The one who said, Don’t commit adultery , also said, Don’t commit murder .t So if you don’t commit adultery but do commit murder, you are a lawbreaker.12 In every way, then, speak and act as people who will be judged by the law of freedom.
13 There will be no mercy in judgment for anyone who hasn’t shown mercy. Mercy overrules judgment.
Showing faith
14 My brothers and sisters, what good is it if people say they have faith but do nothing to show it? Claiming to have faith can’t save anyone, can it?15 Imagine a brother or sister who is naked and never has enough food to eat.16 What if one of you said, "Go in peace! Stay warm! Have a nice meal!"? What good is it if you don’t actually give them what their body needs?
17 In the same way, faith is dead when it doesn’t result in faithful activity.
18 Someone might claim, "You have faith and I have action." But how can I see your faith apart from your actions? Instead, I’ll show you my faith by putting it into practice in faithful action.19 It’s good that you believe that God is one. Ha! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble with fear.20 Are you so slow? Do you need to be shown that faith without actions has no value at all?21 What about Abraham, our father? Wasn’t he shown to be righteous through his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?22 See, his faith was at work along with his actions. In fact, his faith was made complete by his faithful actions.23 So the scripture was fulfilled that says, Abraham believed God, and God regarded him as righteous .t What is more, Abraham was called God’s friend.24 So you see that a person is shown to be righteous through faithful actions and not through faith alone.25 In the same way, wasn’t Rahab the prostitute shown to be righteous when she received the messengers as her guests and then sent them on by another road?
26 As the lifeless body is dead, so faith without actions is dead.
James 2
Prejudice and the Law of Love
1 My brothers and sisters,t do not show prejudicet if you possess faitht in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ.t2 For if someonet comes into your assemblyt wearing a gold ring and fine clothing, and a poor person enters in filthy clothes,3 do you pay attention to the one who is finely dressed and say,t “You sit here in a good place,”t and to the poor person, “You stand over there,” or “Sit on the floor”?t4 If so, have you not made distinctionst among yourselves and become judges with evil motives?t5 Listen, my dear brothers and sisters!t Did not God choose the poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he promised to those who love him?6 But you have dishonored the poor!t Are not the rich oppressing you and dragging you into the courts?7 Do they not blaspheme the good name of the one you belong to?t8 But if you fulfill the royal law as expressed in this scripture,t “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,”s you are doing well.9 But if you show prejudice, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as violators.t10 For the one who obeys the whole law but failst in one point has become guilty of all of it.t11 For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,”s also said, “Do not murder.”s Now if you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a violator of the law.12 Speak and act as those who will be judged by a law that gives freedom.t
13 For judgment is merciless for the one who has shown no mercy. But mercy triumphs overt judgment.
Faith and Works Together
14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters,t if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? Can this kind of faitht save him?s15 If a brother or sistert is poorly clothed and lacks daily food,16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm and eat well,” but you do not give them what the body needs,t what good is it?17 So also faith, if it does not have works, is dead being by itself.18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.”t Show me your faith without works and I will show you faith byt my works.
19 You believe that God is one; well and good.t Even the demons believe that – and tremble with fear.t
20 But would you like evidence,t you empty fellow,t that faith without works is useless?s21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?22 You see that his faith was working together with his works and his faith was perfected by works.23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Now Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness,”s and he was called God’s friend.s24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.25 And similarly, was not Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she welcomed the messengers and sent them out by another way?
26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.