James 2
1 My brethren, hold not, in respect of persons, the faith of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ,
My brethren, hold not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, in a partial respect of 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 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;
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 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:
4 ye did not judge fully in yourselves, and did become ill-reasoning judges.
do ye not make a partial difference within yourselves, and become judges that 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?
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.
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 tyrannize over you; and drag you to their tribunals?
7 do they not themselves speak evil of the good name that was called upon you?
Do they not blaspheme the glorious name by which ye are called?
8 If, indeed, royal law ye complete, according to the Writing, 'Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself,' — ye do well;
If ye fulfil the royal law, according to the scripture, which saith, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well.
9 and if ye accept persons, sin ye do work, being convicted by the law as transgressors;
But if ye partially respect persons, ye commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors.
10 for whoever the whole law shall keep, and shall stumble in one [point], he hath become guilty of all;
For whosoever shall keep the whole law besides, but offend in one point, he is under the penalty 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 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.
12 so speak ye and so do, as about by a law of liberty to be judged,
So speak, and so act, as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty.
13 for the judgment without kindness [is] to him not having done kindness, and exult doth kindness over judgment.
For he shall have judgement without mercy, that hath not shewn mercy: but mercy triumpheth over judgement.
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 that he has faith, and he hath not works, can faith alone save him?
15 and if a brother or sister may be naked, and may be destitute of the daily food,
If a brother or sister be naked, and 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 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?
17 so also the faith, if it may not have works, is dead by itself.
so faith, if it have not works, being alone, is dead.
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:
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.
19 thou — thou dost believe that God is one; thou dost well, and the demons believe, and they shudder!
Thou believest that there is one God; thou dost well: the devils also believe and tremble.
20 And dost thou wish to know, O vain man, that the faith apart from the works is dead?
But desirest thou to 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?
consider, Was not our father Abraham justified by works, when he offered his son Isaac upon the altar?
22 dost thou see that the faith was working with his works, and out of the works the faith was perfected?
Thou seest that faith co-operated with his works, and that by his 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 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.
24 Ye see, then, that out of works is man declared righteous, and not out of faith only;
Ye see then that a man is justified by works, 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 the harlot Rahab justified by works, when she entertained the spies, and let them out another way?
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 faith without works is dead also.
