James 2
Partiality Forbidden
1 My brothers, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with partiality.2 For if someonet enters into your assemblyt in fine clothing with a gold ring on his finger, and a poor person in filthy clothing also enters,3 and you look favorably on the one wearing the fine clothing and you say, “Be seated here in a good place,” and to the poor person you say, “You stand or be seated theret by my footstool,”4 have you not made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?5 Listen, my dear brothers! Did not God choose the poor of the world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him?6 But you have dishonored the poor! Are not the rich exploiting you and they themselves dragging you into the courts?
7 Do they themselves not blaspheme the good name of the one to whom you belongt?
8 However, if you carry out the royal law according to the scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,”t you are doing well.9 But if you show partiality, you commit sin, and thus are convicted by the law as transgressors.10 For whoever keeps the whole law but stumbles in one point only has become guilty of all of it.11 For the one who said “Do not commit adultery”t also said “Do not murder.”t Now if you do not commit adultery but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.12 Thus speak and thus act as those who are going to be judged by the law of liberty.
13 For judgment is merciless to the one who has not practiced mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
Faith and Works
14 What is the benefit, my brothers, if someone says that he has faith but does not have works? That faith is not able to save him, is it?15 If a brother or a sister is poorly clothed and lacking food for the day,16 and one of you should say to them, “Go in peace, keep warm and eat wellt,” but does not give them what is necessary for the body, what is the benefit?
17 Thus also faith, if it does not have works, is dead by itself.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.”t Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe, and shudder!20 But do you want to know, O foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar?22 You see that faith was working together with his works, and by the works the faith was perfected.23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “And Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness,”t and he was called God’s friend.24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.25 And likewise was not Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she welcomed the messengers and sent them out by a different route?
26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.
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.