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.
Hermanos míos, no tengáis la fe de nuestro Señor Jesu Cristo glorioso en acepción de personas.
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,
Porque si en vuestra congregación entra algún varón, que trae anillo de oro, vestido de preciosa ropa, y también entra un pobre vestido de vestidura vil,
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;"
Y pusiereis los ojos en el que trae la vestidura preciosa, y le dijereis: Tú asiéntate aquí honorífica mente; y dijereis al pobre: Estáte tú allí en pie; o, siéntate aquí debajo del estrado de mis pies:
4 is it not plain that in your hearts you have little faith, seeing that you have become judges full of wrong thoughts?
¿Vosotros, no hacéis ciertamente distinción dentro de vosotros mismos, y sois hechos jueces de pensamientos malos?
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?
Hermanos míos amados, oíd: ¿No ha elegido Dios los pobres de este mundo, que sean ricos en fe, y herederos del reino que ha prometido a los que le aman?
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? --
Mas vosotros habéis afrentado al pobre. ¿Los ricos no os oprimen con tiranía, y ellos mismos os arrastran a los juzgados?
7 and the very people who speak evil of the noble Name by which you are called?
¿No blasfeman ellos el buen nombre que es invocado sobre vosotros?
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.
Si ciertamente vosotros cumplís la ley real conforme a la Escritura, es a saber: Amarás a tu prójimo como a ti mismo; bien hacéis;
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.
Mas si hacéis acepción de personas, cometéis pecado, y sois acusados de la ley como transgresores.
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.
Porque cualquiera que hubiere guardado toda la ley, y sin embargo se deslizare en un punto, es hecho culpado de todos.
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.
Porque el que dijo: No cometas adulterio, también ha dicho: No mates. Y si no hubieres cometido adulterio, empero hubieres matado, ya eres hecho transgresor de la ley.
12 Speak and act as those should who are expecting to be judged by the Law of freedom.
Así hablád, y así obrád como los que habéis de ser juzgados por la ley de libertad.
13 For he who shows no mercy will have judgement given against him without mercy; but mercy triumphs over judgement.
Porque juicio sin misericordia será hecho a aquel que no hiciere misericordia; y la misericordia se gloría contra el juicio.
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?
Hermanos míos, ¿qué aprovechará si alguno dice que tiene fe, y no tiene obras? ¿Podrá la fe salvarle?
15 Suppose a Christian brother or sister is poorly clad or lacks daily food,
Porque si el hermano, o la hermana estuvieren desnudos, o necesitados del mantenimiento de cada día,
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?
Y alguno de vosotros les dijere: Id en paz, calentáos, y hartáos, empero no les diéreis las cosas que son necesarias para el cuerpo, ¿qué les aprovechará?
17 So also faith, if it is unaccompanied by obedience, has no life in it--so long as it stands alone.
Así también la fe, si no tuviere obras, es muerta por sí misma.
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.
Mas alguno dirá: Tú tienes fe, y yo tengo obras; muéstrame tu fe sin tus obras; y yo te mostraré mi fe por mis obras.
19 You believe that God is one, and you are quite right: evil spirits also believe this, and shudder."
Tú crees que Dios es uno: haces bien: también los demonios lo creen, y tiemblan.
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.
¿Mas, oh hombre vano, quieres saber, que la fe sin las obras es muerta?
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?
Abraham, nuestro padre, ¿no fue justificado por las obras, cuando ofreció a su hijo Isaac sobre el altar?
22 You notice that his faith was co-operating with his actions, and that by his actions his faith was perfected;
¿ No ves que la fe obró con sus obras, y que por las obras la fe fue perfecta?
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.'
Y la Escritura fue cumplida, que dice: Abraham creyó a Dios, y le fue imputado a justicia, y fue llamado el amigo de Dios.
24 You all see that it is because of actions that a man is pronounced righteous, and not simply because of faith.
Vosotros, pues, veis, que por las obras es justificado el hombre, y no solamente por la fe.
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?
Semejantemente también Raab la ramera, ¿no fue justificada por obras, cuando recibió los mensajeros, y los echó fuera por otro camino?
26 For just as a human body without a spirit is lifeless, so also faith is lifeless if it is unaccompanied by obedience.
Porque como el cuerpo sin espíritu está muerto, así también la fe sin obras es muerta.
