< James 2 >
1 Ẹ̀yin ará mi, gẹ́gẹ́ bí onígbàgbọ́ nínú ògo Olúwa wá Jesu Kristi, ẹ máa ṣe ojúsàájú ẹnikẹ́ni.
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 Nítorí bí ọkùnrin kan bá wá sí ìpéjọpọ̀ yín, pẹ̀lú òrùka wúrà àti aṣọ dáradára, tí tálákà kan sì wá pẹ̀lú nínú aṣọ èérí;
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 tí ẹ̀yin sì bu ọlá fún ẹni tí ó wọ aṣọ dáradára tí ẹ sì wí pé, “Ìwọ jókòó níhìn-ín yìí ní ibi dáradára,” tí ẹ sì wí fún tálákà náà pé, “Ìwọ dúró níbẹ̀” tàbí “jókòó níhìn-ín lábẹ́ àpótí ìtìsẹ̀ mi,”
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 ẹyin kò ha ń dá ara yín sí méjì nínú ara yín, ẹ̀yin kò sì di onídàájọ́ tí ó ní èrò búburú bí?
is it not plain that in your hearts you have little faith, seeing that you have become judges full of wrong thoughts?
5 Ẹ fi etí sílẹ̀, ẹ̀yin ará mi olùfẹ́: Ọlọ́run kò ha ti yan àwọn tálákà ayé yìí láti jẹ́ ọlọ́rọ̀ nínú ìgbàgbọ́, àti ajogún ìjọba náà, tí ó ti ṣe ìlérí fún àwọn tí ó fẹ́ ẹ?
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 Ṣùgbọ́n ẹ̀yin ti bu tálákà kù. Àwọn ọlọ́rọ̀ kò ha ń pọ́n yin lójú bí; wọn kò ha sì ń wọ́ yín lọ sílé ẹjọ́?
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 Wọn kò ha ń sọ ọ̀rọ̀-òdì sí orúkọ rere nì tí a fi ń pè yín bí?
and the very people who speak evil of the noble Name by which you are called?
8 Ṣùgbọ́n bí ẹ̀yin bá ń mú olú òfin nì ṣẹ gẹ́gẹ́ bí Ìwé Mímọ́, èyí tí ó wí pé, “Ìwọ fẹ́ ẹni kejì rẹ gẹ́gẹ́ bí ara rẹ,” ẹ̀yin ń ṣe dáradára.
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 Ṣùgbọ́n bí ẹ̀yin bá ń ṣe ojúsàájú ènìyàn, ẹ̀yin ń dẹ́ṣẹ̀, a sì ń dá yín lẹ́bi nípa òfin bí arúfin.
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 Nítorí ẹnikẹ́ni tí ó bá pa gbogbo òfin mọ́, tí ó sì rú ọ̀kan, ó jẹ̀bi rírú gbogbo rẹ̀.
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 Nítorí ẹni tí ó wí pé, “Ìwọ kò gbọdọ̀ ṣe panṣágà,” òun ni ó sì wí pé, “Ìwọ kò gbọdọ̀ pànìyàn.” Ǹjẹ́ bí ìwọ kò ṣe panṣágà, ṣùgbọ́n tí ìwọ pànìyàn, ìwọ jásí arúfin.
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 Ẹ máa sọ̀rọ̀, ẹ sì máa hùwà, bí àwọn tí a ó fi òfin òmìnira dá lẹ́jọ́.
Speak and act as those should who are expecting to be judged by the Law of freedom.
13 Nítorí ẹni tí kò ṣàánú, ni a ó ṣe ìdájọ́ fún láìsí àánú; àánú ń ṣògo lórí ìdájọ́.
For he who shows no mercy will have judgement given against him without mercy; but mercy triumphs over judgement.
14 Èrè kí ni ó jẹ́, ará mi, bí ẹni kan wí pé òun ní ìgbàgbọ́, ṣùgbọ́n tí kò ní àwọn iṣẹ́ láti fihan? Ìgbàgbọ́ náà lè gbà á là bí?
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 Bí arákùnrin tàbí arábìnrin kan bá wà ní àìní aṣọ, tí ó sì ṣe àìní oúnjẹ òòjọ́,
Suppose a Christian brother or sister is poorly clad or lacks daily food,
16 tí ẹni kan nínú yín sì wí fún pé, “Máa lọ ní àlàáfíà, kí ara rẹ kí ó má ṣe tutù, kí ó sì yó,” ṣùgbọ́n ẹ kò fi nǹkan wọ̀n-ọn-nì ti ara ń fẹ́ fún wọn; èrè kí ni ó jẹ́?
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 Bẹ́ẹ̀ sì ni ìgbàgbọ́, bí kò bá ní iṣẹ́ rere, ó kú nínú ara rẹ̀.
So also faith, if it is unaccompanied by obedience, has no life in it--so long as it stands alone.
18 Ṣùgbọ́n ẹnìkan lè wí pé, “Ìwọ ní ìgbàgbọ́, èmi sì ní iṣẹ́.” Fi ìgbàgbọ́ rẹ hàn mí ní àìsí iṣẹ́, èmi ó sì fi ìgbàgbọ́ mi hàn ọ́ nípa iṣẹ́ rere mi.
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 Ìwọ gbàgbọ́ pé Ọlọ́run kan ní ó ń bẹ; ó dára! Àwọn ẹ̀mí èṣù pẹ̀lú gbàgbọ́ bẹ́ẹ̀, wọ́n sì wárìrì.
You believe that God is one, and you are quite right: evil spirits also believe this, and shudder."
20 Ṣùgbọ́n, ìwọ aláìmòye ènìyàn, ìwọ ha fẹ́ ní ìdánilójú pé, ìgbàgbọ́ ní àìsí iṣẹ́ rere asán ni?
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 Kí ha í ṣe nípa iṣẹ́ ni a dá Abrahamu baba wa láre, nígbà tí ó fi Isaaki ọmọ rẹ̀ rú ẹbọ lórí pẹpẹ?
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 Ìwọ rí i pé ìgbàgbọ́ rẹ bá iṣẹ́ rìn, àti pé nípa iṣẹ́ rere ni a sọ ìgbàgbọ́ di pípé.
You notice that his faith was co-operating with his actions, and that by his actions his faith was perfected;
23 Ìwé Mímọ́ sì ṣẹ́ tí ó wí pé, “Abrahamu gba Ọlọ́run gbọ́, a sì kà á sí òdodo fún un,” a sì pè é ní ọ̀rẹ́ Ọlọ́run.
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 Ǹjẹ́ ẹ̀yin rí i pé nípa iṣẹ́ rere ni à ń dá ènìyàn láre, kì í ṣe nípa ìgbàgbọ́ nìkan.
You all see that it is because of actions that a man is pronounced righteous, and not simply because of faith.
25 Gẹ́gẹ́ bẹ́ẹ̀ pẹ̀lú kí a dá Rahabu panṣágà láre nípa iṣẹ́ bí, nígbà tí ó gba àwọn ayọ́lẹ̀wò, tí ó sì rán wọn jáde gba ọ̀nà mìíràn?
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 Nítorí bí ara ní àìsí ẹ̀mí ti jẹ́ òkú, bẹ́ẹ̀ gẹ́gẹ́ pẹ̀lú ni ìgbàgbọ́ ní àìsí iṣẹ́ jẹ́ òkú.
For just as a human body without a spirit is lifeless, so also faith is lifeless if it is unaccompanied by obedience.