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 brethren, do not hold the faith of our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with partial regard for persons.
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,
For if there enter into your synagogue a man having gold rings on his fingers, and with splendid clothing, and there enter likewise a poor man, with sordid apparel;
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;"
and you look on him who has the splendid clothing, and say, Sit you here honorably; and to the poor man, Stand you there; or, Sit here at my footstool:
4 is it not plain that in your hearts you have little faith, seeing that you have become judges full of wrong thoughts?
are you not, then, partial among yourselves, and have become judges who reason wickedly?
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?
Hearken, beloved brethren: Has not God chosen the poor of the world--rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he has promised to them 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? --
Do not the rich exceedingly oppress you, and themselves drag you to the judgment seats?
7 and the very people who speak evil of the noble Name by which you are called?
Do not they defame that excellent name which is named on you?
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, now, indeed, you fulfill a royal law, according to the scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," you do 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 have respect of persons, you commit sin, being convicted by the law of 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.
For whoever will keep the whole law, yet fails in one point, has become guilty of all.
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," has also said, "Do not kill." Now if you do not commit adultery, yet if you kill, you have become a transgressor of the law.
12 Speak and act as those should who are expecting to be judged by the Law of freedom.
So speak, and so do, as those who shall be judged by a law of liberty;
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 to him who showed no mercy: but mercy exults 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 is the advantage, my brethren, if any one say he have faith, but have not works? Can faith save him?
15 Suppose a Christian brother or sister is poorly clad or lacks daily food,
For if a brother or a sister be naked, or destitute of 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?
and any one of you say to him, Depart in peace: be warmed, and be filled; yet give him none of the things needful for the body, what is the advantage?
17 So also faith, if it is unaccompanied by obedience, has no life in it--so long as it stands alone.
So, also, faith, if it have not works, is dead, being alone.
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.
Also, one may say, You have faith, and I have works: show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
19 You believe that God is one, and you are quite right: evil spirits also believe this, and shudder."
You believe that there is one God; you do well: even the demons believe and tremble.
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.
Besides, would you know, O vain man, that faith, without works, is dead?
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 Abraham, our father, justified by works, when he had lifted up Isaac, his son, upon 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 co-operated with his works, and by works his faith was perfected.
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 so that scripture was fulfilled, which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness; and he was called the 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.
You see, that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
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?
And in like manner, also, was not Rahab, the harlot, justified by works, having secretly received the messengers, and having sent them away by another road.
26 For just as a human body without a spirit is lifeless, so also faith is lifeless if it is unaccompanied by obedience.
For, as the body, without the spirit, is dead, so, also, faith, without works, is dead.
