James 2
1 My brothers, stop holding the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Glory, with partiality!
My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ of glory with respect of persons.
2 For if a man with a gold ring, in fine clothes, should enter your synagogue, and a poor man in filthy rags should also enter,
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 and you pay special attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, “You sit in this special seat,” but to the poor one you say, “You stand there,” or “Sit here at my footstool,”
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 been separated among yourselves and become judges with malignant 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 the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that He has promised to those loving 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 dishonored the poor one. Do not the rich oppress you and drag you into courts?
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 Do they not blaspheme the noble name that was called upon you?
Do not they blaspheme the good name that is invoked upon you?
8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do 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 partiality, you commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors.
But if you have respect to persons, you commit sin, being reproved by the law as transgressors.
10 For whoever will keep the whole law, yet stumble in one point, has become guilty of all.
And whosoever shall keep the whole law, but offend in one point, is become guilty of all.
11 Because He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.
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 being those who are about to be judged by a law of liberty
So speak ye, and so do, as being to be judged by the law of liberty.
13 (the judgment will be without mercy to the one not showing mercy). That law exalts mercy over judgment.
For judgment without mercy to him that hath not done mercy. And mercy exalteth itself above judgment.
14 What is the advantage, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? That faith cannot save him, can it?
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 If a brother or sister is actually naked, and is destitute of the daily food,
And if a brother or sister be naked, and want daily food:
16 and someone among you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you (pl) do not give them the things needed for the body, what is the benefit?
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 Thus also that faith, if it does not have works, is dead, being by itself.
So faith also, if it have not works, is dead in itself.
18 (But someone will say: “You have faith and I have works. Show me your faith by your works and I, by my works will show you my faith [what he believes].”
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. You do well. The demons also believe—and shudder!)
Thou believest that there is one God. Thou dost well: the devils also believe and tremble.
20 But you need to know, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is dead!
But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?
Was not Abraham our father justified by works, offering up Isaac his son upon the altar?
22 You can see that faith was acting together with his works, and the faith was made complete by the works.
Seest thou, that faith did co-operate with his works; and by works faith was made perfect?
23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “So Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called ‘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 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.
Do you see that by works a man is justified; and not by faith only?
25 Similarly, was not Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by a different way?
And in like manner also Rahab the harlot, was not she justified by works, receiving the messengers, and sending them out another way?
26 For just as the body without spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.
For even as the body without the spirit is dead; so also faith without works is dead.
