Yakobo 2
Onyo kuhusu ubaguzi
1 Ndugu zangu, mkiwa mnamwamini Bwana Yesu Kristo, Bwana wa utukufu, msiwabague watu kamwe. 2 Tuseme mtu mmoja ambaye amevaa pete ya dhahabu na mavazi nadhifu anaingia katika mkutano wenu, na papo hapo akaingia mtu maskini aliyevaa mavazi machafu. 3 Ikiwa mtamstahi zaidi yule aliyevaa mavazi ya kuvutia na kumwambia: “Keti hapa mahali pazuri,” na kumwambia yule maskini: “Wewe, simama huko,” au “Keti hapa sakafuni miguuni pangu,” 4 je, huo si ubaguzi kati yenu? Je, na huo uamuzi wenu haujatokana na fikira mbaya?
5 Ndugu zangu wapenzi, sikilizeni! Mungu amechagua watu ambao ni maskini katika ulimwengu huu ili wapate kuwa matajiri katika imani na kupokea ufalme aliowaahidia wale wanaompenda. 6 Lakini nyinyi mnawadharau watu maskini! Je, matajiri si ndio wanaowakandamiza na kuwapeleka mahakamani? 7 Je, si haohao wanaolitukana hilo jina lenu zuri mlilopewa?
8 Kama mnaitimiza ile sheria ya ufalme kama ilivyoandikwa katika Maandiko Matakatifu: “Mpende jirani yako kama unavyojipenda mwenyewe”, mtakuwa mnafanya vema kabisa. 9 Lakini mkiwabagua watu, basi, mwatenda dhambi, nayo sheria inawahukumu nyinyi kuwa mna hatia. 10 Anayevunja amri mojawapo ya sheria, atakuwa na hatia ya kuivunja sheria yote. 11 Maana yuleyule aliyesema: “Usizini,” alisema pia “Usiue.” Kwa hiyo, hata ikiwa hukuzini, lakini umeua, wewe umeivunja sheria. 12 Basi, semeni na kutenda kama watu watakaohukumiwa kwa sheria iletayo uhuru. 13 Maana, Mungu hatakuwa na huruma atakapomhukumu mtu asiyekuwa na huruma. Lakini huruma hushinda hukumu.
Imani na matendo
14 Ndugu zangu, kuna faida gani mtu kusema ana imani, lakini haonyeshi kwa vitendo? Je, hiyo imani yawezaje kumwokoa? 15 Tuseme kaka au dada hana nguo au chakula. 16 Yafaa kitu gani nyinyi kuwaambia hao: “Nendeni salama mkaote moto na kushiba,” bila kuwapatia mahitaji yao ya maisha? 17 Vivyo hivyo, imani peke yake bila matendo imekufa.
18 Lakini mtu anaweza kusema: “Wewe unayo imani, mimi ninayo matendo!” Haya! Nioneshe jinsi mtu anavyoweza kuwa na imani bila matendo, nami nitakuonesha imani yangu kwa matendo yangu. 19 Je, wewe unaamini kwamba yuko Mungu mmoja? Sawa! Lakini hata pepo huamini hilo, na hutetemeka kwa hofu. 20 Mpumbavu wee! Je, wataka kuoneshwa kwamba imani bila matendo imekufa? 21 Je, Abrahamu babu yetu alipataje kukubaliwa kuwa mwadilifu? Kwa matendo yake, wakati alipomtoa tambiko mwanawe Isaka juu ya madhabahu. 22 Waona, basi, kwamba imani yake iliandamana na matendo yake; imani yake ilikamilishwa kwa matendo yake. 23 Hivyo yakatimia yale Maandiko Matakatifu yasemayo: “Abrahamu alimwamini Mungu, na kwa imani yake akakubaliwa kuwa mtu mwadilifu; na hivyo Abrahamu akaitwa rafiki ya Mungu.” 24 Mnaona, basi, kwamba mtu hukubaliwa kuwa mwadilifu kwa matendo yake, na si kwa imani peke yake.
25 Ilikuwa vivyo hivyo kuhusu yule malaya Rahabu; yeye alikubaliwa kuwa mwadilifu kwa sababu aliwapokea wale wapelelezi na kuwasaidia waende zao kwa kupitia njia nyingine.
26 Basi, kama vile mwili bila roho umekufa, vivyo hivyo imani bila matendo imekufa.
James 2
1 My brethren, hold not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.2 For if there come into your synagogue a man with a gold ring, in fine clothing, and there come in also a poor man in vile clothing;3 and ye have regard to him that weareth the fine clothing, and say, Sit thou here in a good place; and ye say to the poor man, Stand thou there, or sit under my footstool;4 Do ye not make distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?5 Hearken, my beloved brethren; did not God choose them that are poor as to the world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to them that love him?6 But ye have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you, and themselves drag you before the judgment-seats?7 Do not they blaspheme the honorable name by which ye are called?8 Howbeit if ye fulfil the royal law, according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well:9 but if ye have respect of persons, ye commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors.10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is become guilty of all.11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou dost not commit adultery, but killest, thou art become a transgressor of the law.12 So speak ye, and so do, as men that are to be judged by a law of liberty.13 For judgment is without mercy to him that hath showed no mercy: mercy glorieth against judgment.14 What doth it profit, my brethren, if a man say he hath faith, but have not works? can that faith save him?15 If a brother or sister be naked and in lack of daily food,16 and one of you say unto them, Go in peace, be ye warmed and filled; and yet ye give them not the things needful to the body; what doth it profit?17 Even so faith, if it have not works, is dead in itself.18 Yea, a man will say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith apart from thy works, and I by my works will show thee my faith.19 Thou believest that God is one; thou doest well: the demons also believe, and shudder.20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith apart from works is barren?21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son upon the altar?22 Thou seest that faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect;23 and the scripture was fulfilled which saith, And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness; and he was called the friend of God.24 Ye see that by works a man is justified, and not only by faith.25 And in like manner was not also Rahab the harlot justified by works, in that she received the messengers, and sent them out another way?26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, even so faith apart from works is dead.