James 2
1 My brethren, hold not, in respect of persons, the faith of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ,
My brethren, do not hold the faith of our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with partial regard for persons.
2 for if there may come into your synagogue a man with gold ring, in gay raiment, and there may come in also a poor man in vile raiment,
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 ye may look upon him bearing the gay raiment, and may say to him, 'Thou — sit thou here well,' and to the poor man may say, 'Thou — stand thou there, or, Sit thou here under 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 ye did not judge fully in yourselves, and did become ill-reasoning judges.
are you not, then, partial among yourselves, and have become judges who reason wickedly?
5 Hearken, my brethren beloved, did not God choose the poor of this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the reign that He promised to those loving 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 and ye did dishonour the poor one; do not the rich oppress you and themselves draw you to judgment-seats;
Do not the rich exceedingly oppress you, and themselves drag you to the judgment seats?
7 do they not themselves speak evil of the good name that was called upon you?
Do not they defame that excellent name which is named on you?
8 If, indeed, royal law ye complete, according to the Writing, 'Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself,' — ye 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 and if ye accept persons, sin ye do work, 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 the whole law shall keep, and shall stumble in one [point], he hath 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 is saying, 'Thou mayest not commit adultery,' said also, 'Thou mayest do no murder;' and if thou shalt not commit adultery, and shalt commit murder, thou hast become a transgressor of 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 ye and so do, as about by a law of liberty to be judged,
So speak, and so do, as those who shall be judged by a law of liberty;
13 for the judgment without kindness [is] to him not having done kindness, and exult doth kindness over judgment.
for judgment without mercy, will be to him who showed no mercy: but mercy exults over judgment.
14 What [is] the profit, my brethren, if faith, any one may speak of having, and works he may not have? is that faith able to 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 may be naked, and may be destitute of the daily food,
For if a brother or a sister be naked, or destitute of daily food,
16 and any one of you may say to them, 'Depart ye in peace, be warmed, and be filled,' and may not give to them the things needful for the body, what [is] the profit?
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 the faith, if it may not have works, is dead by itself.
So, also, faith, if it have not works, is dead, being alone.
18 But say may some one, Thou hast faith, and I have works, shew me thy faith out of thy works, and I will shew thee out of my works my faith:
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 thou — thou dost believe that God is one; thou dost well, and the demons believe, and they shudder!
You believe that there is one God; you do well: even the demons believe and tremble.
20 And dost thou wish to know, O vain man, that the faith apart from the works is dead?
Besides, would you know, O vain man, that faith, without works, is dead?
21 Abraham our father — was not he declared righteous out of works, having brought up Isaac his son upon the altar?
Was not Abraham, our father, justified by works, when he had lifted up Isaac, his son, upon the altar?
22 dost thou see that the faith was working with his works, and out of the works the faith was perfected?
You see that his faith co-operated with his works, and by works his faith was perfected.
23 and fulfilled was the Writing that is saying, 'And Abraham did believe God, and it was reckoned to him — to righteousness;' and, 'Friend of God' he was called.
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 Ye see, then, that out of works is man declared righteous, and not out of faith only;
You see, that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
25 and in like manner also Rahab the harlot — was she not out of works declared righteous, having received the messengers, and by another way having sent forth?
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, so also the faith apart from the works is dead.
For, as the body, without the spirit, is dead, so, also, faith, without works, is dead.
