James 2
1 My brothers, do not hold the faith of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ in favor by appearance,
My brethren, do not hold the faith of our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, so as to show a partiality for persons.
2 for if there may come into your synagogue a man with gold ring, in radiant clothing, and there may also come in a poor man in vile clothing,
For if there comes into your assembly a man in splendid apparel, and with gold rings on his fingers, and there comes in also a poor man, in mean clothing,
3 and you may look on him bearing the radiant clothing, and may say to him, “You—sit here well,” and may say to the poor man, “You—stand there,” or, “Sit here under my footstool,”
and you show regard to him that wears the splendid apparel, and say to him, Sit here, in an honorable place; and you say to the poor man, Do you stand there, or sit here, under my footstool;
4 you did not judge fully in yourselves, and became ill-reasoning judges.
are you not partial in yourselves? and do you not judge from false principles?
5 Listen, my beloved brothers, did God not choose the poor of this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom that He promised to those loving Him?
Hear, my beloved brethren: Has not God chosen the poor of this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which God has promised to those who love him?
6 But you dishonored the poor one. Do the rich not oppress you and themselves draw you to judgment-seats?
But you dishonor the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you, and do they not themselves drag you to the judgment-seats?
7 Do they not themselves speak evil of the good Name having been called on you?
Do they not themselves revile that honorable name which is called upon you?
8 If, indeed, you fulfill royal law, according to the Writing: “You will love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well;
If, however, you fulfill the law of highest excellence, according to the scripture, You shall love your neighbor as yourself, you do well.
9 but if you favor by appearance, you work sin, being convicted by the Law as transgressors;
But if you show partiality for persons, you work sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
10 for whoever will keep the whole Law, but will stumble in one [point], he has become guilty of all;
For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet fail in one, is an offender against all.
11 for He who is saying, “You may not commit adultery,” also said, “You may not murder”; but if you will not commit adultery, but will commit murder, you have become a transgressor of law;
For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now, though you do not commit adultery, yet, if you kill, you are a transgresssor of law.
12 thus, speak and so act as [one] about to be judged by a law of liberty,
So speak, and so act, as those who shall be judged by the law of liberty.
13 for the judgment without mercy [is] to him having not done mercy, and mercy exults over judgment.
For he shall have judgment without mercy, who has shown no mercy. Mercy glories over judgment.
14 What [is] the profit, my brothers, if anyone may speak of having faith, but he may not have works? Is that faith able to save him?
What profit is there, my brethren, if any one say he has faith, and have not works? Can faith save him?
15 And if a brother or sister may be naked, and may be destitute of daily food,
If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16 and anyone of you may say to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed, and be filled,” but may not give to them the things necessary for the body, what [is] the profit?
and any of you say to them, Go in peace, be warmed and be filled, and yet give them not the things that are needful for the body, what does this profit them?
17 So also faith, if it may not have works, is dead by itself.
So, also, faith, if it has not works, is dead, being by itself.
18 But someone may say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without works, and I will show you my faith out of works.
But some one will say, You have faith, and I have works; show me your faith by your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
19 You believe that God is one; you do well! The demons also believe—and shudder!
You believe that there is one God; you do well: the demons also believe, and tremble.
20 And do you wish to know, O vain man, that faith apart from works is dead?
But will you know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
21 Was not our father Abraham considered righteous out of works, having brought up his son Isaac on the altar?
Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?
22 Do you see that faith was working with his works, and faith was perfected out of the works?
Do you see that faith was the moving principle in his works, and by works his faith was made perfect?
23 And the Writing was fulfilled that is saying, “And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him for righteousness”; and, “Friend of God” he was called.
And the scripture was fulfilled, which says, Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness: and he was called the friend of God.
24 You see, then, that man is considered righteous out of works, and not out of faith only;
Do you see that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only?
25 and in like manner also Rahab the prostitute—was she not considered righteous out of works, having received the messengers, and having sent [them] forth by another way?
Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and sent them out another way?
26 For as the body apart from [the] spirit is dead, so also the faith apart from works is dead.
For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
