James 2
1 My brethren, hold not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, in a partial respect of persons.
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.
2 For if there come into your synagogue a man with a gold ring in fine clothes, and there come in also a poor man in a mean habit;
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,
3 and ye turn your eyes toward him that weareth the fine clothes, and say to him, Sit thou here in an honorable place; and say to the poor man, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:
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;"
4 do ye not make a partial difference within yourselves, and become judges that reason wickedly?
is it not plain that in your hearts you have little faith, seeing that you have become judges full of wrong thoughts?
5 Hear, my beloved brethren; hath not God chosen the poor of this world who are rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom, which He hath promised to them that love Him? but ye have slighted the poor.
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?
6 Do not the rich tyrannize over you; and drag you to their tribunals?
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? --
7 Do they not blaspheme the glorious name by which ye are called?
and the very people who speak evil of the noble Name by which you are called?
8 If ye fulfil the royal law, according to the scripture, which saith, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well.
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.
9 But if ye partially respect persons, ye commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors.
But if you are making distinctions between one man and another, you are guilty of sin, and are convicted by the Law as offenders.
10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law besides, but offend in one point, he is under the penalty of all:
A man who has kept the Law as a whole, but has failed to keep some one command, has become guilty of violating all.
11 for He that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou do not commit adultery, but committest murder, thou art a transgressor of the law.
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.
12 So speak, and so act, as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty.
Speak and act as those should who are expecting to be judged by the Law of freedom.
13 For he shall have judgement without mercy, that hath not shewn mercy: but mercy triumpheth over judgement.
For he who shows no mercy will have judgement given against him without mercy; but mercy triumphs over judgement.
14 What is the advantage, my brethren, if any one say that he has faith, and he hath not works, can faith alone save him?
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?
15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food;
Suppose a Christian brother or sister is poorly clad or lacks daily food,
16 and one of you say to them, Go in peace, be ye warmed and be ye filled: but ye give them not the necessaries of life, what profit is it to them?
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?
17 so faith, if it have not works, being alone, is dead.
So also faith, if it is unaccompanied by obedience, has no life in it--so long as it stands alone.
18 But one may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith by thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
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.
19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou dost well: the devils also believe and tremble.
You believe that God is one, and you are quite right: evil spirits also believe this, and shudder."
20 But desirest thou to know, O vain man, that faith without works, is dead?
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.
21 consider, Was not our father Abraham justified by works, when he offered his son Isaac upon the altar?
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?
22 Thou seest that faith co-operated with his works, and that by his works his faith was perfected.
You notice that his faith was co-operating with his actions, and that by his actions his faith was perfected;
23 And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness; and he was called the friend of God.
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.'
24 Ye see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.
You all see that it is because of actions that a man is pronounced righteous, and not simply because of faith.
25 And in like manner also was not the harlot Rahab justified by works, when she entertained the spies, and let them out another way?
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?
26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
For just as a human body without a spirit is lifeless, so also faith is lifeless if it is unaccompanied by obedience.
