Yakobo 2
1 Me nuanom, sɛ moyɛ agyidifoɔ wɔ Awurade Kristo animuonyam mu yi, monnyɛ animhwɛ.
My brethren, hold not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, in a partial respect of persons.
2 Sɛ mohyia a, ɔdefoɔ a ɔhyɛ mpɛtea ne ntade pa ne ohiani bi nso a ɔhyɛ ntadego nso tumi ba bi.
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 Sɛ wode anidie ma deɛ wasiesie ne ho yie no, na woka kyerɛ no sɛ, “Tena saa akonnwa pa yi so,” na woka kyerɛ ohiani no nso sɛ, “Sɔre gyina hɔ anaa tena fam wɔ me nan ase ha” a,
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 wodi fɔ sɛ wogyina atemmuo a ɛfiri adwemmɔne mu de nyiyimu abɛto mo mu no ho.
do ye not make a partial difference within yourselves, and become judges that reason wickedly?
5 Me nuanom adɔfoɔ, montie! Onyankopɔn yii ewiase yi mu ahiafoɔ sɛ wɔnyɛ adefoɔ wɔ gyidie mu na wɔanya ahennie a ɔhyɛɛ wɔn a wɔdɔ no no ho bɔ no.
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 Nanso, moammu ahiafoɔ! Ɛhefoɔ na wɔdi mo nya twe mo kɔ atemmufoɔ anim? Adefoɔ!
Do not the rich tyrannize over you; and drag you to their tribunals?
7 Wɔne nnipa a wɔkasa tia din pa a wɔde ama mo no.
Do they not blaspheme the glorious name by which ye are called?
8 Ɛyɛ sɛ modi yɛn Awurade mmara a ɛka sɛ, “Dɔ wo yɔnko sɛ wo ho” no so.
If ye fulfil the royal law, according to the scripture, which saith, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well.
9 Na sɛ mohwɛ nnipa anim de gye wɔn a, modi ho fɔ na Mmara no tia mo sɛ mmaratofoɔ.
But if ye partially respect persons, ye commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors.
10 Obiara a ɔbu mmara no mu baako pɛ so no bu ne nyinaa so.
For whosoever shall keep the whole law besides, but offend in one point, he is under the penalty of all:
11 Ɛfiri sɛ, deɛ ɔkaa sɛ, “Nsɛe awadeɛ” no, ɔno ara nso na ɔkaa sɛ, “Nni awu.” Na sɛ woansɛe awadeɛ na wodi awu a, woabu mmara so.
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 Sɛ woyɛ Kristo apɛdeɛ o, sɛ woanyɛ nʼapɛdeɛ o, wobɛbu wo ho atɛn. Enti hwɛ asɛm a woka ne deɛ woyɛ biara yie.
So speak, and so act, as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty.
13 Ɛfiri sɛ, obi a wanhunu mmɔbɔ no, Onyankopɔn atemmuo mu no, wɔrenhunu no mmɔbɔ. Nanso atemmuo mu mpo no, Onyankopɔn hunu mmɔbɔ.
For he shall have judgement without mercy, that hath not shewn mercy: but mercy triumpheth over judgement.
14 Me nuanom, sɛ obi ka sɛ, “Mewɔ gyidie” na ɔnni gyidie no ho dwuma a, mfasoɔ bɛn na ɛwɔ soɔ? Saa gyidie no bɛtumi agye no nkwa anaa?
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 Sɛ anuanom bi wɔ hɔ a ntoma ho hia wɔn na wɔnni aduane dodoɔ nso a wɔbɛdi,
If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food;
16 sɛ wokɔka kyerɛ wɔn sɛ, “Onyame nhyira mo! Mo ho nyɛ mo hye na monnidi yie” na sɛ woamma wɔn asetena yi mu deɛ ɛhia wɔn a, papa bɛn na woayɛ wɔn?
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 Saa ara na gyidie teɛ. Sɛ nneyɛeɛ nka ho a, na awu.
so faith, if it have not works, being alone, is dead.
18 Nanso, obi bɛtumi aka sɛ, “Obi wɔ gyidie na afoforɔ nso wɔ nneyɛeɛ.” Me mmuaeɛ ne sɛ, “Kyerɛ me sɛdeɛ obi tumi nya gyidie a nneyɛeɛ mmata ho ase. Me deɛ menam me nneyɛeɛ so bɛkyerɛ wo me gyidie.”
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 Wogye di sɛ Onyankopɔn baako pɛ na ɔwɔ hɔ? Ɛyɛ! Ahonhommɔne nso gye di saa ara na wɔn ho popo wɔ suro mu.
Thou believest that there is one God; thou dost well: the devils also believe and tremble.
20 Ɔkwasea! Wopɛ sɛ wɔka kyerɛ wo sɛ gyidie a nneyɛeɛ mmata ho no ho nni mfasoɔ anaa?
But desirest thou to know, O vain man, that faith without works, is dead?
21 Ɛyɛɛ dɛn na Onyankopɔn buu Abraham bem? Ɛnam ne nneyɛeɛ so sɛ ɔde ne ba Isak maa wɔ afɔrebukyia so no.
consider, Was not our father Abraham justified by works, when he offered his son Isaac upon the altar?
22 Wohunu sɛ ne gyidie ne ne nneyɛeɛ nyinaa redi dwuma na ne nneyɛeɛ no maa ne gyidie no dii mu.
Thou seest that faith co-operated with his works, and that by his works his faith was perfected.
23 Na Atwerɛsɛm no baa mu sɛ, Abraham gyee Onyankopɔn diiɛ na ɛsiane ne gyidie no enti, Onyankopɔn gyee no sɛ ɔteneneeni. Enti wɔfrɛ Abraham Onyankopɔn adamfo.
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 Yei da no adi pefee sɛ Onyankopɔn nam onipa nneyɛeɛ so na ɔbu no bem, na ɛnnam ne gyidie nko so.
Ye see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.
25 Saa ara na ɛte wɔ adwaman Rahab ho. Ne nneyɛeɛ maa Onyankopɔn buu no bem, ɛfiri sɛ, ɔgyee Yudafoɔ bi a wɔsomaa wɔn, boaa wɔn ma wɔdwane faa ɛkwan foforɔ bi so.
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 Sɛdeɛ onipadua a honhom nni mu awuo no, saa ara nso na gyidie a nneyɛeɛ mmata ho no nso awuo.
For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
