James 2
1 My brethren, hold not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, [the Lord] of glory, with respect of persons.
My brothers, don’t hold the faith of our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with partiality.
2 For if there come into your synagogue a man with a gold ring, in fine clothing, and there come in also a poor man in vile clothing;
For if a man with a gold ring, in fine clothing, comes into your synagogue, and a poor man in filthy clothing also comes in,
3 and ye have regard to him that weareth the fine clothing, and say, Sit thou here in a good place; and ye say to the poor man, Stand thou there, or sit under my footstool;
and you pay special attention to him who wears the fine clothing and say, “Sit here in a good place;” and you tell the poor man, “Stand there,” or “Sit by my footstool”
4 are ye not divided in your own mind, and become judges with evil thoughts?
haven’t you shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?
5 Hearken, my beloved brethren; did not God choose them that are poor as to the world [to be] rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to them that love him?
Listen, my beloved brothers. Didn’t 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 have dishonoured the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you, and themselves drag you before the judgment-seats?
But you have dishonored the poor man. Don’t the rich oppress you and personally drag you before the courts?
7 Do not they blaspheme the honourable name by the which ye are called?
Don’t they blaspheme the honorable name by which you are called?
8 Howbeit if ye fulfill the royal law, according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:
However, if you fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well.
9 but if ye have respect of persons, ye commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors.
But if you show partiality, you commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors.
10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one [point], he is become guilty of all.
For whoever keeps the whole law, and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.
11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou dost not commit adultery, but killest, thou art become a transgressor of the law.
For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not commit murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.
12 So speak ye, and so do, as men that are to be judged by a law of liberty.
So speak and so do as men who are to be judged by the law of freedom.
13 For judgment [is] without mercy to him that hath shewed no mercy: mercy glorieth against judgment.
For judgment is without mercy to him who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
14 What doth it profit, my brethren, if a man say he hath faith, but have not works? can that faith save him?
What good is it, my brothers, if a man says he has faith, but has no works? Can faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister be naked, and in lack of daily food,
And if a brother or sister is naked and in lack of daily food,
16 and one of you say unto them, Go in peace, be ye warmed and filled; and yet ye give them not the things needful to the body; what doth it profit?
and one of you tells them, “Go in peace. Be warmed and filled;” yet you didn’t give them the things the body needs, what good is it?
17 Even so faith, if it have not works, is dead in itself.
Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead in itself.
18 Yea, a man will say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith apart from [thy] works, and I by my works will shew thee [my] faith.
Yes, a man will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
19 Thou believest that God is one; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and shudder.
You believe that God is one. You do well. The demons also believe—and shudder.
20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith apart from works is barren?
But do you want to know, vain man, that faith apart from works is dead?
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son upon the altar?
Wasn’t Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?
22 Thou seest that faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect;
You see that faith worked with his works, and by works faith was perfected.
23 and the scripture was fulfilled which saith, And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness; and he was called the friend of God.
So the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him as righteousness,” and he was called the friend of God.
24 Ye see that by works a man is justified, and not only by faith.
You see then that by works a man is justified, and not only by faith.
25 And in like manner was not also Rahab the harlot justified by works, in that she received the messengers, and sent them out another way?
In the same way, wasn’t Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she received the messengers and 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 apart from the spirit is dead, even so faith apart from works is dead.
