James 2
1 My brethren, do not have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, [Lord] of glory, with respect of persons:
My brethren, hold ye not the faith of the glory of our Lord Jesus the Messiah, with a respect to persons.
2 for if there come unto your synagogue a man with a gold ring in splendid apparel, and a poor man also come in in vile apparel,
For if there come into your assembly a man with rings of gold or splendid garments, and there come in a poor man in sordid garments;
3 and ye look upon him who wears the splendid apparel, and say, Do thou sit here well, and say to the poor, Do thou stand there, or sit here under my footstool:
and ye show respect to him who is clothed in splendid garments, and say to him, Seat thyself here, conspicuously; while to the poor man, ye say, Stand thou there, or sit thou here before my footstool;
4 have ye not made a difference among yourselves, and become judges having evil thoughts?
are ye not divided among yourselves, and become expositors of evil thoughts?
5 Hear, my beloved brethren: Has not God chosen the poor as to the world, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to them that love him?
Hear, my beloved brethren; hath not God chosen the poor of the world, but the rich in faith, to be heirs in the kingdom which God hath promised to them that love him?
6 But ye have despised the poor [man]. Do not the rich oppress you, and [do not] they drag you before [the] tribunals?
But ye have despised the poor man. Do not rich men exalt themselves over you, and drag you before the tribunals?
7 And [do not] they blaspheme the excellent name which has been called upon you?
Do they not revile that worthy name, which is invoked upon you?
8 If indeed ye keep [the] royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well.
And if in this ye fulfill the law of God, as it is written, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye will do well:
9 But if ye have respect of persons, ye commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors.
but if ye have respect of persons, ye commit sin; and ye are convicted by the law, as transgressors of the law.
10 For whoever shall keep the whole law and shall offend in one [point], he has come under the guilt of [breaking] all.
For he that shall keep the whole law, and yet fail in one precept, is obnoxious to the whole law.
11 For he who said, Thou shalt not commit adultery, said also, Thou shalt not kill. Now if thou dost not commit adultery, but killest, thou art become transgressor of [the] law.
For he who said, Thou shalt not commit adultery, said also, Thou shalt not kill. If then thou commit no adultery, but thou killest, thou hast become a transgressor of the law.
12 So speak ye, and so act, as those that are to be judged by [the] law of liberty;
So speak ye, and so act, as persons that are to be judged by the law of liberty.
13 for judgment [will be] without mercy to him that has shewn no mercy. Mercy glories over judgment.
For judgment without mercy shall be on him, who hath practised no mercy: by mercy, ye will be raised above judgment.
14 What [is] the profit, my brethren, if any one say he have faith, but have not works? can faith save him?
What is the use, my brethren, if a man say, I have faith; and he hath no works? can his faith vivify him?
15 Now if a brother or a sister is naked and destitute of daily food,
Or if a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16 and one from amongst you say to them, Go in peace, be warmed and filled; but give not to them the needful things for the body, what [is] the profit?
and one of you say to them, Go in peace, warm yourselves, and be full; and ye give them not the necessaries of the body, what is the use?
17 So also faith, if it have not works, is dead by itself.
So also faith alone, without works, is dead.
18 But some one will say, Thou hast faith and I have works. Shew me thy faith without works, and I from my works will shew thee my faith.
For a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works; show to me thy faith that is without works; and I will show to thee, my faith by my works.
19 Thou believest that God is one. Thou doest well. The demons even believe, and tremble.
Thou believest that there is one God; thou dost well; the demons also believe, and tremble.
20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
Wouldst thou know, O frail man, that faith without works is dead?
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
Abraham our father, was not he justified by works, in offering his son Isaac upon the altar?
22 Thou seest that faith wrought with his works, and that by works faith was perfected.
Seest thou, that his faith aided his works; and that by the works his faith was rendered complete?
23 And the scripture was fulfilled which says, Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness, and he was called Friend of God.
And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith: Abraham believed in God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness, and he was called the Friend of God.
24 Ye see that a man is justified on the principle of works, and not on the principle of faith only.
Thou seest, that by works a man is justified, and not by faith alone.
25 But was not in like manner also Rahab the harlot justified on the principle of works, when she had received the messengers and put [them] forth by another way?
So also Rahab, the harlot, was not she justified by works, when she entertained the spies, and sent them forth by another way?
26 For as the body without a spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.
As the body without the spirit, is dead; so faith without works, is dead also.
