< James 2 >
1 My brethren, do not, with respect for persons, be holding the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, [the Lord] of glory.
2 For, if there enter into your synagogue a man wearing gold rings in gay clothing, and there enter a destitute man also, in soiled clothing, —
3 And ye eye him that hath on the gay clothing, and say, Thou, be sitting here, pleasantly, —and, unto the destitute man, say—Thou, stand, or sit there under my footstool,
4 Would ye not have been led to make distinctions among yourselves, and have become judges with wicked reasonings?
5 Hearken! my brethren beloved: —Hath not, God, chosen the destitute in the world [to be] rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?
6 Whereas, ye, have dishonoured the destitute man! Do not, the rich, oppress you? and, themselves, drag you into courts of justice?
7 Do not, they, defame the noble name which hath been invoked upon you?
8 If ye are, indeed, fulfilling, a royal law, according to the scripture—Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, nobly, are ye doing;
9 But, if ye are shewing respect of persons, sin, are ye working, being convicted by the law as transgressors!
10 For, a man who shall keep, the whole law, but shall stumble in one thing, hath become, for all things, liable, —
11 For, he that hath said—Do not commit adultery, hath also said—Do not commit murder, —now, if thou dost not commit adultery, but dost commit murder, thou hast become a transgressor of law.
12 So, be speaking, and, so, doing, as they who, through means of a law of freedom, are about to be judged;
13 For, the judgment, [will be] without mercy, unto him that hath shewed no mercy: Mercy, boasteth, over judgment.
14 What profit, my brethren, —if one should be saying he hath, faith, but hath not, works; can his faith save him?
15 If, a brother or sister, should be naked, and coming short of the daily food,
16 And one from among you should say unto them—Withdraw in peace, be getting warmed and fed, but should not give them the things needful for the body, What the profit?
17 So, also, faith, if it have not works, is dead, by itself.
18 But one will say, —Thou, hast faith, and, I, have works, show me thy faith apart from thy works, and, I, unto thee, will shew, by my works, my faith.
19 Thou believest that God is, one: thou doest, well—Even the demons believe, and shudder!
20 But art thou willing to learn, O empty man! that, faith, apart from works, is, idle?
21 Abraham our father, was it not, by works, he was declared righteous—when he offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
22 Thou seest that, his faith, had been working together with his works, and by his works did his faith become full-grown, —
23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith—And Abraham believed God, And it was reckoned to him as righteousness, and, God’s friend, was he called:
24 Ye see that—by works, a man is declared righteous, and not by faith alone.
25 And, in like manner also, Rahab the harlot, Was it not, by works, she was declared righteous, when she gave welcome unto the messengers, and, by another way, urged them forth?
26 Just as, the body, apart from spirit, is dead, so, our faith also, apart from works, is dead.
