James 2
1 My fellow believers, [because] you trust our Lord Jesus Christ, the one who is glorious/wonderful, stop honoring some people more than others.
My brothers, do not hold the faith of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ in favor by appearance,
2 [For example], suppose that a person who wears gold rings and fine clothes enters your meeting place. Then suppose that a poor person who wears shabby/ragged clothes also comes in.
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,
3 And [suppose] that you (show special attention to/treat better) the one who is dressed in fine clothes by saying, “Sit here in this good seat!” and you say to the poor one, “Stand there or sit on the floor [MTY]!”
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,”
4 Then you have obviously [RHQ] caused divisions in the congregation (OR, you are clearly treating one better than the others, and you are using evil [motives/reasons] to ([evaluate people/decide whether people are important or not])).
you did not judge fully in yourselves, and became ill-reasoning judges.
5 Listen [to me], my fellow believers whom I love: God has chosen [RHQ] poor people whom [unbelievers consider to] possess nothing of value, [so that he might bless them] greatly [because] they trust [in him], and in order that they will enter the place where [he] will rule [MET] [forever]. That is what he has promised to those who love him.
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?
6 But you dishonor the poor people. Think about it! (It is rich people, [not poor people], who are causing you to suffer!/Isn’t it rich people, [not poor people], who are oppressing you?) [RHQ] (It is [the rich people] who forcibly take you to court [to accuse you in front of judges]!/Is it not [the rich people] who forcibly take you to court [to accuse you in front of judges]?) [RHQ]
But you dishonored the poor one. Do the rich not oppress you and themselves draw you to judgment-seats?
7 (And they are the ones who say evil things about Jesus Christ, the one who is worthy [of praise], to whom you belong!/Are they not the ones who say evil things about Jesus Christ, the one who is worthy [of praise], to whom you belong?) [RHQ]
Do they not themselves speak evil of the good Name having been called on you?
8 In the Scriptures [God has commanded] each of you to love other people like you love yourself. That commandment was [also given] by [Jesus our] King [MTY]. If you [are loving others], you are doing what is right.
If, indeed, you fulfill royal law, according to the Writing: “You will love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well;
9 But if you honor some people more than others, you are (doing wrong/sinning). And because you [do not do what God commanded us to do], he condemns you [PRS] because you disobey his laws.
but if you favor by appearance, you work sin, being convicted by the Law as transgressors;
10 Do not forget that those who disobey only one of God’s laws, even if they obey all [his other] laws, [God considers them] to be [as guilty as anyone who has disobeyed] all [of] God’s [laws].
for whoever will keep the whole Law, but will stumble in one [point], he has become guilty of all;
11 For example, [God] said, “Do not commit adultery,” but he also said, “Do not murder anyone.” [So] if you [(sg)] do not commit adultery but you [(sg)] murder someone, you [(sg)] have become a person who disobeys [God’s] laws.
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;
12 Continually speak and act [toward others] as people should who will be judged {whom [God] will judge} by the law that frees us [from being punished] {[God punishing us]} [for our sins].
thus, speak and so act as [one] about to be judged by a law of liberty,
13 [Speak and act like that], because when [God] judges us, he will not act mercifully toward those who do not act mercifully toward others. But when we [are] merciful [to others, we can rejoice], because [our being] merciful [shows] that [we are acting like people whom God] has mercifully saved from being judged (OR, [we can rejoice] because [God] will judge us mercifully).
for the judgment without mercy [is] to him having not done mercy, and mercy exults over judgment.
14 My fellow believers, [there are some people who say], “I believe [in the Lord Jesus Christ],” but they do not do good things [for other people]. (Their saying that will certainly not do them any good!/What good will their saying that do for them?) [RHQ] [God] will certainly not save [people like that who say that they believe, but do not do good things]! [RHQ]
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?
15 [To illustrate], suppose that fellow believers, either men or women, don’t have enough clothing or food for each day.
And if a brother or sister may be naked, and may be destitute of daily food,
16 And suppose that one of you says to them, “May [God] bless you and supply the clothing and food that you need!” but you [(sg)] do not give them the things that they need. (That would be no help [to them]!/What help is that [to them]?) [RHQ]
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?
17 Similarly, [those who do] not do good things [to help others, what they have said about] their believing [in Christ] is [as useless] [MET] [as] a dead person [is useless]. They do not [really believe in Christ].
So also faith, if it may not have works, is dead by itself.
18 But someone may say [to me], “[God saves] some people only [because] they trust [in him], and [he saves] others [because] they do good deeds [to people].” [I would answer that person], “[You(sg) cannot] prove to me that people truly trust [in God if] they do not do good things [for others]. But by doing good things [for others] I will prove to you that I truly trust [in God”]
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.
19 [Think about it]! You believe that there is only one God, and you are right [to believe that]. But the demons also believe that, but they tremble [with fear because they know that God is going to punish them].
You believe that God is one; you do well! The demons also believe—and shudder!
20 Also, you foolish person, I will [RHQ] prove to you [(sg)] that [if someone says], “I trust [in God],” but he does not do good things, [what that person says] will not benefit him.
And do you wish to know, O vain man, that faith apart from works is dead?
21 (It was certainly [because of] what our [revered] ancestor Abraham did, when he [prepared to] sacrifice his son Isaac, that he was considered [by God] {that [God] considered him} to be a righteous, [obedient] person./Was it not [because of] what our [revered] ancestor Abraham did, when he [prepared to] sacrifice his son Isaac, that he was considered [by God] {that [God] considered him} to be a righteous, [obedient] person?) [RHQ]
Was not our father Abraham considered righteous out of works, having brought up his son Isaac on the altar?
22 You [(sg)] can realize that he was not only trusting [in God], but he was also doing [what God told him to do], and [you(sg) can realize] that he was able to trust [in God more] completely because of having done [what God told him to do].
Do you see that faith was working with his works, and faith was perfected out of the works?
23 And [so it happened as it is written in the] Scriptures: “Because Abraham truly trusted in God, he was considered [by God] to be {[God] considered that he was} righteous.” And [God also] said [about Abraham], “He is my friend.”
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.
24 [From the example of Abraham], you can realize that it is because people do good things that [God] considers them to be righteous, and not only because they trust [in him].
You see, then, that man is considered righteous out of works, and not out of faith only;
25 Similarly, it was certainly [RHQ] [because of] what Rahab did, that [God] considered her to be a righteous, [obedient] person. Rahab was [previously] a prostitute, but she cared for the Israelite men who came [to] ([spy out the land/see what that area was like]) and she [helped them to escape by] sending them home on a different road [from the one that they came on].
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?
26 Remember that when our spirits [permanently leave our] bodies, [our bodies] are dead [and useless]. Similarly [SIM], [if someone says], “I trust [in God],” but does not do [things to help others, what that person says about trusting in God] is useless.
For as the body apart from [the] spirit is dead, so also the faith apart from works is dead.
