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 have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, [Lord] of glory, with respect of 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 come unto your synagogue a man with a gold ring in splendid apparel, and a poor man also come in in vile apparel,
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 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:
4 you did not judge fully in yourselves, and became ill-reasoning judges.
have ye not made a difference among yourselves, and become judges having evil thoughts?
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 as to the world, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to them that love him?
6 But you dishonored the poor one. Do the rich not oppress you and themselves draw you to judgment-seats?
But ye have despised the poor [man]. Do not the rich oppress you, and [do not] they drag you before [the] tribunals?
7 Do they not themselves speak evil of the good Name having been called on you?
And [do not] they blaspheme the excellent name which has been 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 indeed ye keep [the] royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well.
9 but if you favor by appearance, you work sin, being convicted by the Law as transgressors;
But if ye have respect of persons, ye commit sin, being 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 shall offend in one [point], he has come under the guilt of [breaking] 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 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.
12 thus, speak and so act as [one] about to be judged by a law of liberty,
So speak ye, and so act, as those that are to 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 judgment [will be] without mercy to him that has shewn 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 [is] the profit, my brethren, if any one say he have faith, but have not works? can faith save him?
15 And if a brother or sister may be naked, and may be destitute of daily food,
Now if a brother or a sister is 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 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?
17 So also faith, if it may not have works, is dead by itself.
So also faith, if it have not works, is dead 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, Thou hast faith and I have works. Shew me thy faith without works, and I from my works will shew thee my faith.
19 You believe that God is one; you do well! The demons also believe—and shudder!
Thou believest that God is one. Thou doest well. The demons even believe, and tremble.
20 And do you wish to know, O vain man, that faith apart from works is dead?
But wilt thou 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 had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
22 Do you see that faith was working with his works, and faith was perfected out of the works?
Thou seest that faith wrought with his works, and that by works faith was perfected.
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 reckoned to him as righteousness, and he was called Friend of God.
24 You see, then, that man is considered righteous out of works, and not out of faith only;
Ye see that a man is justified on the principle of works, and not on the principle of 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?
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?
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 a spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.
