James 2
1 My brethren, you must not make distinctions between one man and another while you are striving to maintain faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, who is our glory.
My brothers, as you hold out your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, do not show favoritism.
2 For suppose a man comes into one of your meetings wearing gold rings and fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man wearing shabby clothes,
Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in.
3 and you pay court to the one who wears the fine clothes, and say, "Sit here; this is a good place;" while to the poor man you say, "Stand there, or sit on the floor at my feet;"
If you lavish attention on the man in fine clothes and say, “Here is a seat of honor,” but say to the poor man, “You must stand” or “Sit at my feet,”
4 is it not plain that in your hearts you have little faith, seeing that you have become judges full of wrong thoughts?
have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
5 Listen, my dearly-loved brethren. Has not God chosen those whom the world regards as poor to be rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom which He has promised to those that love Him?
Listen, my beloved brothers: Has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom He promised those who love Him?
6 But you have put dishonour upon the poor man. Yet is it not the rich who grind you down? Are not they the very people who drag you into the Law courts? --
But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you and drag you into court?
7 and the very people who speak evil of the noble Name by which you are called?
Are they not the ones who blaspheme the noble name by which you have been called?
8 If, however, you are keeping the Law as supreme, in obedience to the Commandment which says "You are to love your fellow man just as you love yourself," you are acting rightly.
If you really fulfill the royal law stated in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.
9 But if you are making distinctions between one man and another, you are guilty of sin, and are convicted by the Law as offenders.
But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
10 A man who has kept the Law as a whole, but has failed to keep some one command, has become guilty of violating all.
Whoever keeps the whole law but stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.
11 For He who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not commit murder," and if you are a murderer, although not an adulterer, you have become an offender against the Law.
For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.
12 Speak and act as those should who are expecting to be judged by the Law of freedom.
Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom.
13 For he who shows no mercy will have judgement given against him without mercy; but mercy triumphs over judgement.
For judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
14 What good is it, my brethren, if a man professes to have faith, and yet his actions do not correspond? Can such faith save him?
What good is it, my brothers, if someone claims to have faith, but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?
15 Suppose a Christian brother or sister is poorly clad or lacks daily food,
Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.
16 and one of you says to them, "I wish you well; keep yourselves warm and well fed," and yet you do not give them what they need; what is the use of that?
If one of you tells him, “Go in peace; stay warm and well fed,” but does not provide for his physical needs, what good is that?
17 So also faith, if it is unaccompanied by obedience, has no life in it--so long as it stands alone.
So too, faith by itself, if it does not result in action, is dead.
18 Nay, some one will say, "You have faith, I have actions: prove to me your faith apart from corresponding actions and I will prove mine to you by my actions.
But someone will say, “You have faith and I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.
19 You believe that God is one, and you are quite right: evil spirits also believe this, and shudder."
You believe that God is one. Good for you! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
20 But, idle boaster, are you willing to be taught how it is that faith apart from obedience is worthless? Take the case of Abraham our forefather.
O foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is worthless?
21 Was it, or was it not, because of his actions that he was declared to be righteous as the result of his having offered up his son Isaac upon the altar?
Was not our father Abraham justified by what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?
22 You notice that his faith was co-operating with his actions, and that by his actions his faith was perfected;
You see that his faith was working with his actions, and his faith was perfected by what he did.
23 and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "And Abraham believed God, and his faith was placed to his credit as righteousness," and he received the name of 'God's friend.'
And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called a friend of God.
24 You all see that it is because of actions that a man is pronounced righteous, and not simply because of faith.
As you can see, a man is justified by his deeds and not by faith alone.
25 In the same way also was not the notorious sinner Rahab declared to be righteous because of her actions when she welcomed the spies and hurriedly helped them to escape another way?
In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute justified by her actions when she welcomed the spies and sent them off on another route?
26 For just as a human body without a spirit is lifeless, so also faith is lifeless if it is unaccompanied by obedience.
As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
