James 2
1 My brothers, don’t hold the faith of our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with partiality.
My brethren, do not hold the faith of our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with partial regard for persons.
2 For if a man with a gold ring, in fine clothing, comes into your synagogue, and a poor man in filthy clothing also comes in,
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 special attention to him who wears the fine clothing and say, “Sit here in a good place;” and you tell the poor man, “Stand there,” or “Sit by my footstool”
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 haven’t you shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?
are you not, then, partial among yourselves, and have become judges who reason wickedly?
5 Listen, my beloved brothers. Didn’t God choose those who are poor in this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom which he promised to those who 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 dishonored the poor man. Don’t the rich oppress you and personally drag you before the courts?
Do not the rich exceedingly oppress you, and themselves drag you to the judgment seats?
7 Don’t they blaspheme the honorable name by which you are called?
Do not they defame that excellent name which is named on you?
8 However, if you fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well.
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 show partiality, you commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors.
But if you have respect of persons, you commit sin, being convicted by the law of transgressors.
10 For whoever keeps the whole law, and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of 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.” Now if you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of 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 So speak and so do as men who are 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 judgment is without mercy to him who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
for judgment without mercy, will be to him who showed no mercy: but mercy exults over judgment.
14 What good is it, my brothers, if a man says he has faith, but has no works? Can 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 And if a brother or sister is naked and in lack of daily food,
For if a brother or a sister be naked, or destitute of daily food,
16 and one of you tells them, “Go in peace. Be warmed and filled;” yet you didn’t give them the things the body needs, what good is it?
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 Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead in itself.
So, also, faith, if it have not works, is dead, being alone.
18 Yes, a man will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
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. You do well. The demons also believe—and shudder.
You believe that there is one God; you do well: even the demons believe and tremble.
20 But do you want to know, vain man, that faith apart from works is dead?
Besides, would you know, O vain man, that faith, without works, is dead?
21 Wasn’t Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?
Was not Abraham, our father, justified by works, when he had lifted up Isaac, his son, upon the altar?
22 You see that faith worked with his works, and by works faith was perfected.
You see that his faith co-operated with his works, and by works his faith was perfected.
23 So the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him as righteousness,” and he was called the friend of God.
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 see then that by works a man is justified, and not only by faith.
You see, that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
25 In the same way, wasn’t Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out 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 as the body apart from the spirit is dead, even so faith apart from works is dead.
For, as the body, without the spirit, is dead, so, also, faith, without works, is dead.
