James 2
1 My brethren, haue not the faith of our glorious Lord Iesus Christ in respect of persons.
My brothers, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ of glory with partiality.
2 For if there come into your company a man with a golde ring, and in goodly apparell, and there come in also a poore man in vile raiment,
For if someone with a gold ring, in fine clothing, comes into your synagogue, and a poor person in filthy clothing also comes in;
3 And ye haue a respect to him that weareth the gaie clothing; and say vnto him, Sit thou here in a goodly place, and say vnto the poore, Stand thou there, or sit here vnder my footestoole,
and you pay special attention to the one who wears the fine clothing, and say, "Sit here in a good place;" but you tell the poor person, "Stand there," or "Sit by my footstool."
4 Are yee not partiall in your selues, and are become iudges of euill thoughts?
Have you not discriminated among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?
5 Hearken my beloued brethren, hath not God chosen the poore of this worlde, that they should be rich in faith, and heires of the kingdome which he promised to them that loue him?
Listen, my beloved brothers. Did not God choose those who are poor in this world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the Kingdom which he promised to those who love him?
6 But ye haue despised the poore. Doe not the riche oppresse you by tyrannie, and doe not they drawe you before the iudgement seates?
But you have dishonored the poor person. Do not the rich oppress you, and personally drag you before the courts?
7 Doe nor they blaspheme the worthie Name after which yee be named?
Do not they blaspheme the honorable name by which you are called?
8 But if yee fulfill the royall Lawe according to the Scripture, which saith, Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe, yee doe well.
However, if you fulfill the royal law, according to the Scripture, "You are to love your neighbor as yourself," you do well.
9 But if yee regarde the persons, yee commit sinne, and are rebuked of the Lawe, as transgressours.
But if you show partiality, you commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors.
10 For whosoeuer shall keepe the whole Lawe, and yet faileth in one poynt, hee is guiltie of all.
For whoever keeps the whole law, and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.
11 For he that saide, Thou shalt not commit adulterie, saide also, Thou shalt not kill. Nowe though thou doest none adulterie, yet if thou killest, thou art a transgressour of the Lawe.
For he who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not commit murder." Now if you do not commit adultery, but murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.
12 So speake ye, and so doe, as they that shall be iudged by the Lawe of libertie.
So speak, and so do, as those who are to be judged by a law of freedom.
13 For there shalbe condemnation merciles to him that sheweth not mercie, and mercie reioyceth against condemnation.
For judgment is without mercy to him who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
14 What auaileth it, my brethren, though a man saith he hath faith, when he hath no workes? can that faith saue him?
What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith, but has no works? Can faith save him?
15 For if a brother or a sister bee naked and destitute of daily foode,
And if a brother or sister is poorly clothed and may be lacking in daily food,
16 And one of you say vnto them, Depart in peace: warme your selues, and fil your bellies, notwithstading ye giue them not those things which are needefull to the body, what helpeth it?
and one of you tells them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled;" and yet you did not give them the things the body needs, what good is it?
17 Euen so the faith, if it haue no woorkes, is dead in it selfe.
Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead in itself.
18 But some man might say, Thou hast the faith, and I haue woorkes: shewe me thy faith out of thy woorkes, and I will shewe thee my faith by my woorkes.
But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without works, and I by my works will show you my faith.
19 Thou beleeuest that there is one God: thou doest well: the deuils also beleeue it, and tremble.
You believe that God is one. You do well. The demons also believe, and shudder.
20 But wilt thou vnderstand, O thou vaine man, that the faith which is without workes, is dead?
But do you want to know, foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?
21 Was not Abraham our father iustified through workes, when he offred Isaac his sonne vpon the altar?
Wasn't Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?
22 Seest thou not that the faith wrought with his workes? and through the workes was the faith made perfect.
You see that faith worked with his works, and by works faith was perfected;
23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which sayeth, Abraham beleeued God, and it was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse: and hee was called the friende of God.
and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "And Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness;" and he was called the friend of God.
24 Ye see then howe that of workes a man is iustified, and not of faith onely.
You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.
25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot iustified through workes, when she had receiued ye messengers, and sent them out another way?
In like manner was not Rahab the prostitute also justified by works, in that she received the messengers, and sent them out another way?
26 For as the body without ye spirit is dead, euen so the faith without workes is dead.
For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, even so faith apart from works is dead.
