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 brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, [the Lord] of glory, with respect of persons.
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 come into your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;
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 ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say to him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou 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])).
Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?
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.
Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love 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 ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the 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 blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?
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 ye fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye 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 ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are 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 shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one [point], he is 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 that said, Do not commit adultery; said also, Do not kill. Now if thou committest no adultery, yet if thou killest, thou art become a transgressor of the 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].
So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the 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 he shall have judgment without mercy that hath shown no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against 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 [doth it] profit, my brethren, though a man sayeth he hath faith, and hath not works? can faith save him?
15 [To illustrate], suppose that fellow believers, either men or women, don’t have enough clothing or food for each day.
If a brother or sister is naked, and 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 one of you sayeth to them, Depart in peace, be you warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what [doth it] 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].
Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
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”]
Also a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my 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].
Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the demons also believe, and tremble.
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.
But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without 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 Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon 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].
Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
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 scripture was fulfilled, which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed to him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
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].
Ye see then that by works a man is justified, and not by 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].
Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent [them] out 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 without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
