James 2
1 My brothers, within the glorious faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, do not choose to show favoritism toward persons.
My brethren, do not, with respect for persons, be holding the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, [the Lord] of glory.
2 For if a man has entered your assembly having a gold ring and splendid apparel, and if a poor man has also entered, in dirty clothing,
For, if there enter into your synagogue a man wearing gold rings in gay clothing, and there enter a destitute man also, in soiled clothing, —
3 and if you are then attentive to the one who is clothed in excellent apparel, so that you say to him, “You may sit in this good place,” but you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit below my footstool,”
And ye eye him that hath on the gay clothing, and say, Thou, be sitting here, pleasantly, —and, unto the destitute man, say—Thou, stand, or sit there under my footstool,
4 are you not judging within yourselves, and have you not become judges with unjust thoughts?
Would ye not have been led to make distinctions among yourselves, and have become judges with wicked reasonings?
5 My most beloved brothers, listen. Has not God chosen the poor in this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that God has promised to those who love him?
Hearken! my brethren beloved: —Hath not, God, chosen the destitute in the world [to be] rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?
6 But you have dishonored the poor. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you through power? And are not they the ones who drag you to judgment?
Whereas, ye, have dishonoured the destitute man! Do not, the rich, oppress you? and, themselves, drag you into courts of justice?
7 Are not they the ones who blaspheme the good name which has been invoked over you?
Do not, they, defame the noble name which hath been invoked upon you?
8 So if you perfect the regal law, according to the Scriptures, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” then you do well.
If ye are, indeed, fulfilling, a royal law, according to the scripture—Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, nobly, are ye doing;
9 But if you show favoritism to persons, then you commit a sin, having been convicted again by the law as transgressors.
But, if ye are shewing respect of persons, sin, are ye working, being convicted by the law as transgressors!
10 Now whoever has observed the whole law, yet who offends in one matter, has become guilty of all.
For, a man who shall keep, the whole law, but shall stumble in one thing, hath become, for all things, liable, —
11 For he who said, “You shall not commit adultery,” also said, “You shall not kill.” So if you do not commit adultery, but you kill, you have become a transgressor of the law.
For, he that hath said—Do not commit adultery, hath also said—Do not commit murder, —now, if thou dost not commit adultery, but dost commit murder, thou hast become a transgressor of law.
12 So speak and act just as you are beginning to be judged, by the law of liberty.
So, be speaking, and, so, doing, as they who, through means of a law of freedom, are about to be judged;
13 For judgment is without mercy toward him who has not shown mercy. But mercy exalts itself above judgment.
For, the judgment, [will be] without mercy, unto him that hath shewed no mercy: Mercy, boasteth, over judgment.
14 My brothers, what benefit is there if someone claims to have faith, but he does not have works? How would faith be able to save him?
What profit, my brethren, —if one should be saying he hath, faith, but hath not, works; can his faith save him?
15 So if a brother or sister is naked and daily in need of food,
If, a brother or sister, should be naked, and coming short of the daily food,
16 and if anyone of you were to say to them: “Go in peace, keep warm and nourished,” and yet not give them the things that are necessary for the body, of what benefit is this?
And one from among you should say unto them—Withdraw in peace, be getting warmed and fed, but should not give them the things needful for the body, What the profit?
17 Thus even faith, if it does not have works, is dead, in and of itself.
So, also, faith, if it have not works, is dead, by itself.
18 Now someone may say: “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without works! But I will show you my faith by means of works.
But one will say, —Thou, hast faith, and, I, have works, show me thy faith apart from thy works, and, I, unto thee, will shew, by my works, my faith.
19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. But the demons also believe, and they tremble greatly.
Thou believest that God is, one: thou doest, well—Even the demons believe, and shudder!
20 So then, are you willing to understand, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?
But art thou willing to learn, O empty man! that, faith, apart from works, is, idle?
21 Was not our father Abraham justified by means of works, by offering his son Isaac upon the altar?
Abraham our father, was it not, by works, he was declared righteous—when he offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
22 Do you see that faith was cooperating with his works, and that by means of works faith was brought to fulfillment?
Thou seest that, his faith, had been working together with his works, and by his works did his faith become full-grown, —
23 And so the Scripture was fulfilled which says: “Abraham believed God, and it was reputed to him unto justice.” And so he was called the friend of God.
And the scripture was fulfilled which saith—And Abraham believed God, And it was reckoned to him as righteousness, and, God’s friend, was he called:
24 Do you see that a man is justified by means of works, and not by faith alone?
Ye see that—by works, a man is declared righteous, and not by faith alone.
25 Similarly also, Rahab, the harlot, was she not justified by works, by receiving the messengers and sending them out through another way?
And, in like manner also, Rahab the harlot, Was it not, by works, she was declared righteous, when she gave welcome unto the messengers, and, by another way, urged them forth?
26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.
Just as, the body, apart from spirit, is dead, so, our faith also, apart from works, is dead.
