Jakob 2
1 Mine Brødre! Eders Tro på vor Herre Jesus Kristus, den herliggjorte, være ikke forbunden med Persons Anseelse!
My brethren, you must not make distinctions between one man and another while you are striving to maintain faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, who is our glory.
2 Når der nemlig kommer en Mand ind i eders Forsamling med Guldring på Fingeren, i prægtig Klædning, men der også kommer en fattig ind i smudsig Klædning,
For suppose a man comes into one of your meetings wearing gold rings and fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man wearing shabby clothes,
3 og I fæste Øjet på den, som bærer den prægtige Klædning og sige: Sæt du dig her på den gode Plads, og I sige til den fattige: Stå du der eller sæt dig nede ved min Fodskammel:
and you pay court to the one who wears the fine clothes, and say, "Sit here; this is a good place;" while to the poor man you say, "Stand there, or sit on the floor at my feet;"
4 ere I så ikke komne i Strid med eder selv og blevne Dommere med slette Tanker?
is it not plain that in your hearts you have little faith, seeing that you have become judges full of wrong thoughts?
5 Hører, mine elskede Brødre! Har Gud ikke udvalgt de for Verden fattige til at være rige i Tro og Arvinger til det Rige, som han har forjættet dem, der elske ham?
Listen, my dearly-loved brethren. Has not God chosen those whom the world regards as poor to be rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom which He has promised to those that love Him?
6 Men I have vanæret den fattige! Er det ikke de rige, som underkue eder, og er det ikke dem, som slæbe eder for Domstolene?
But you have put dishonour upon the poor man. Yet is it not the rich who grind you down? Are not they the very people who drag you into the Law courts? --
7 Er det ikke dem, som bespotte det skønne Navn, som er nævnet over eder?
and the very people who speak evil of the noble Name by which you are called?
8 Ganske vist, dersom I opfylde den kongelige Lov efter Skriften: "Du skal elske din Næste som dig selv", gøre I ret;
If, however, you are keeping the Law as supreme, in obedience to the Commandment which says "You are to love your fellow man just as you love yourself," you are acting rightly.
9 men dersom I anse Personer, gøre I Synd og revses af Loven som Overtrædere.
But if you are making distinctions between one man and another, you are guilty of sin, and are convicted by the Law as offenders.
10 Thi den, som holder hele Loven, men støder an i eet Stykke, er bleven skyldig i alle.
A man who has kept the Law as a whole, but has failed to keep some one command, has become guilty of violating all.
11 Thi han, som sagde: "Du må ikke bedrive Hor," sagde også: "Du må ikke slå ihjel." Dersom du da ikke bedriver Hor, men slår ihjel, da er du bleven en Lovens Overtræder.
For He who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not commit murder," and if you are a murderer, although not an adulterer, you have become an offender against the Law.
12 Taler således og gører således, som de, der skulle dømmes efter Frihedens Lov.
Speak and act as those should who are expecting to be judged by the Law of freedom.
13 Thi Dommen er ubarmhjertig imod den, som ikke har øvet Barmhjertighed; Barmhjertighed træder frimodigt op imod Dommen.
For he who shows no mercy will have judgement given against him without mercy; but mercy triumphs over judgement.
14 Hvad gavner det, mine Brødre! om nogen siger, han har Tro, men ikke har Gerninger? mon Troen kan frelse ham?
What good is it, my brethren, if a man professes to have faith, and yet his actions do not correspond? Can such faith save him?
15 Dersom en Broder eller Søster er nøgen og fattes den daglige Føde,
Suppose a Christian brother or sister is poorly clad or lacks daily food,
16 og en af eder siger til dem: Går bort i Fred, varmer eder og mætter eder, men I ikke give dem det, som hører til Legemets Nødtørst, hvad gavner det?
and one of you says to them, "I wish you well; keep yourselves warm and well fed," and yet you do not give them what they need; what is the use of that?
17 Ligeså er også Troen, dersom den ikke har Gerninger, død i sig selv.
So also faith, if it is unaccompanied by obedience, has no life in it--so long as it stands alone.
18 Men man vil sige: Du har Tro, og jeg har Gerninger. Vis mig din Tro uden Gerningerne, og jeg vil af mine Gerninger vise dig Troen.
Nay, some one will say, "You have faith, I have actions: prove to me your faith apart from corresponding actions and I will prove mine to you by my actions.
19 Du tror, at Gud er een; deri gør du ret; også de onde Ånder tro det og skælve.
You believe that God is one, and you are quite right: evil spirits also believe this, and shudder."
20 Men vil du vide, du tomme Menneske! at Troen uden Gerninger er unyttig?
But, idle boaster, are you willing to be taught how it is that faith apart from obedience is worthless? Take the case of Abraham our forefather.
21 Blev ikke vor Fader Abraham retfærdiggjort af Gerninger, da han ofrede sin Søn Isak på Alteret?
Was it, or was it not, because of his actions that he was declared to be righteous as the result of his having offered up his son Isaac upon the altar?
22 Du ser, at Troen virkede sammen med hans Gerninger, og ved Gerningerne blev Troen fuldkommet,
You notice that his faith was co-operating with his actions, and that by his actions his faith was perfected;
23 og Skriften blev opfyldt, som siger: "Abraham troede Gud, og det blev regnet ham til Retfærdighed", og han blev kaldet Guds Ven.
and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "And Abraham believed God, and his faith was placed to his credit as righteousness," and he received the name of 'God's friend.'
24 I se, at et Menneske retfærdiggøres af Gerninger, og ikke af Tro alene.
You all see that it is because of actions that a man is pronounced righteous, and not simply because of faith.
25 Ligeså Skøgen Rahab, blev ikke også hun retfærdiggjort af Gerninger, da hun tog imod Sendebudene og lod dem slippe bort ad en anden Vej?
In the same way also was not the notorious sinner Rahab declared to be righteous because of her actions when she welcomed the spies and hurriedly helped them to escape another way?
26 Thi ligesom Legemet er dødt uden Ånd, således er også Troen død uden Gerninger.
For just as a human body without a spirit is lifeless, so also faith is lifeless if it is unaccompanied by obedience.
