James 2
1 My brothers, as you hold out your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, do not show favoritism.
My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ of glory with respect of persons.
2 Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in.
For if there shall come into your assembly a man having a golden ring, in fine apparel, and there shall come in also a poor man in mean attire,
3 If you lavish attention on the man in fine clothes and say, “Here is a seat of honor,” but say to the poor man, “You must stand” or “Sit at my feet,”
And you have respect to him that is clothed with the fine apparel, and shall say to him: Sit thou here well; but say to the poor man: Stand thou there, or sit under my footstool:
4 have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
Do you not judge within yourselves, and are become judges of unjust thoughts?
5 Listen, my beloved brothers: Has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom He promised those who love Him?
Hearken, my dearest brethren: hath not God chosen the poor in this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which God hath promised to them that love him?
6 But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you and drag you into court?
But you have dishonoured the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you by might? and do not they draw you before the judgment seats?
7 Are they not the ones who blaspheme the noble name by which you have been called?
Do not they blaspheme the good name that is invoked upon you?
8 If you really fulfill the royal law stated in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.
If then you fulfill the royal law, according to the scriptures, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself; you do well.
9 But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
But if you have respect to persons, you commit sin, being reproved by the law as transgressors.
10 Whoever keeps the whole law but stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.
And whosoever shall keep the whole law, but offend in one point, is become guilty of all.
11 For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.
For he that said, Thou shalt not commit adultery, said also, Thou shalt not kill. Now if thou do not commit adultery, but shalt kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.
12 Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom.
So speak ye, and so do, as being to be judged by the law of liberty.
13 For judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
For judgment without mercy to him that hath not done mercy. And mercy exalteth itself above judgment.
14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone claims to have faith, but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?
What shall it profit, my brethren, if a man say he hath faith, but hath not works? Shall faith be able to save him?
15 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.
And if a brother or sister be naked, and want daily food:
16 If one of you tells him, “Go in peace; stay warm and well fed,” but does not provide for his physical needs, what good is that?
And one of you say to them: Go in peace, be ye warmed and filled; yet give them not those things that are necessary for the body, what shall it profit?
17 So too, faith by itself, if it does not result in action, is dead.
So faith also, if it have not works, is dead in itself.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.
But some man will say: Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without works; and I will shew thee, by works, my faith.
19 You believe that God is one. Good for you! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
Thou believest that there is one God. Thou dost well: the devils also believe and tremble.
20 O foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is worthless?
But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
21 Was not our father Abraham justified by what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?
Was not Abraham our father justified by works, offering up Isaac his son upon the altar?
22 You see that his faith was working with his actions, and his faith was perfected by what he did.
Seest thou, that faith did co-operate with his works; and by works faith was made perfect?
23 And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called a friend of God.
And the scripture was fulfilled, saying: Abraham believed God, and it was reputed to him to justice, and he was called the friend of God.
24 As you can see, a man is justified by his deeds and not by faith alone.
Do you see that by works a man is justified; and not by faith only?
25 In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute justified by her actions when she welcomed the spies and sent them off on another route?
And in like manner also Rahab the harlot, was not she justified by works, receiving the messengers, and sending them out another way?
26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
For even as the body without the spirit is dead; so also faith without works is dead.
