James 2
1 My brothers, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ of glory with partiality.
My brothers, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.
2 For if someone with a gold ring, in fine clothing, comes into your synagogue, and a poor person in filthy clothing also comes in;
For if there come to your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;
3 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."
And you have respect to him that wears the gay clothing, and say to him, Sit you here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand you there, or sit here under my footstool:
4 Have you not discriminated among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?
Are you not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?
5 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?
Listen, my beloved brothers, Has not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he has promised to them that love him?
6 But you have dishonored the poor person. Do not the rich oppress you, and personally drag you before the courts?
But you have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?
7 Do not they blaspheme the honorable name by which you are called?
Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which you are called?
8 However, if you fulfill the royal law, according to the Scripture, "You are to love your neighbor as yourself," you do well.
If you fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, You shall love your neighbor as yourself, 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, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
10 For whoever keeps the whole law, and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.
For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
11 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.
For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if you commit no adultery, yet if you kill, you are become a transgressor of the law.
12 So speak, and so do, as those who are to be judged by a law of freedom.
So speak you, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.
13 For judgment is without mercy to him who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
For he shall have judgment without mercy, that has showed no mercy; and mercy rejoices against judgment.
14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith, but has no works? Can faith save him?
What does it profit, my brothers, though a man say he has faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
15 And if a brother or sister is poorly clothed and may be lacking in daily food,
If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16 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?
And one of you say to them, Depart in peace, be you warmed and filled; notwithstanding you give them not those things which are needful to the body; what does it profit?
17 Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead in itself.
Even so faith, if it has not works, is dead, being alone.
18 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.
Yes, a man may say, You have faith, and I have works: show me your faith without 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 devils also believe, and tremble.
20 But do you want to know, foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?
But will you know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
21 Wasn't Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?
Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son on the altar?
22 You see that faith worked with his works, and by works faith was perfected;
See you how faith worked with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
23 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.
And the scripture was fulfilled which says, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed to him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.
You see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
25 In like manner was not Rahab the prostitute also justified by works, in that she received the messengers, and sent them out another way?
Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, even so faith apart from works is dead.
For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
