James 2
1 My brothers, ye should not have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ of glory, in favoritism.
My brothers, if you have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ of glory, do not take a man's position into account.
2 For if a man with a gold ring in bright clothing comes into your synagogue, and also a poor man in dirty clothing comes in,
For if a man comes into your Synagogue in fair clothing and with a gold ring, and a poor man comes in with dirty clothing,
3 and ye have regard for the man wearing the bright clothing, and say to him, Sit thou here well, and ye say to the poor man, Stand thou there, or sit here below my footstool,
And you do honour to the man in fair clothing and say, Come here and take this good place; and you say to the poor man, Take up your position there, or be seated at my feet;
4 then are ye not partial among yourselves, and become judges from evil thoughts?
Is there not a division in your minds? have you not become judges with evil thoughts?
5 Listen, my beloved brothers, did not God choose the poor of the world, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom, which he promised to those who love him?
Give ear, my dear brothers; are not those who are poor in the things of this world marked out by God to have faith as their wealth, and for their heritage the kingdom which he has said he will give to those who have love for him?
6 But ye have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich exploit you, and they themselves drag you into courts?
But you have put the poor man to shame. Are not the men of wealth rulers over you? do they not take you by force before their judges?
7 Do they not blaspheme the good name that was called upon you?
Do they not say evil of the holy name which was given to you?
8 If ye indeed fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well.
But if you keep the greatest law of all, as it is given in the holy Writings, Have love for your neighbour as for yourself, you do well:
9 But if ye respect personages, ye work sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors.
But if you take a man's position into account, you do evil, and are judged as evil-doers by the law.
10 For whoever keeps the whole law, and stumbles on one, he has become guilty of all.
For anyone who keeps all the law, but makes a slip in one point, is judged to have gone against it all.
11 For he who said thou shall not commit adultery, also said thou shall not murder. Now if thou will not commit adultery, but murder, thou have become a transgressor of law.
For he who said, Do not be untrue in married life, is the same who said, Put no man to death. Now if you are not untrue in married life, but you put a man to death, the law is broken.
12 So speak ye, and so do ye, as men who are to be judged by a law of liberty.
Let your words and your acts be those of men who are to be judged by the law which makes free.
13 For the judgment is merciless to him who did no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
For the man who has had no mercy will be judged without mercy, but mercy takes pride in overcoming judging.
14 What is the benefit, my brothers, if some man should say to have faith, but has no works? Can the faith save him?
What use is it, my brothers, for a man to say that he has faith, if he does nothing? will such a faith give him salvation?
15 And if a brother or sister may be unclothed, and may be destitute of daily food,
If a brother or a sister is without clothing and in need of the day's food,
16 and some man of you would say to them, Go in peace, be ye warmed and fed, but ye would not give them the things necessary for the body, what is the benefit?
And one of you says to them, Go in peace, be warm and full of food; but you do not give them the things of which their bodies have need, what profit is there in this?
17 So also faith, if it has no works, is dead by itself.
Even so faith without works is dead.
18 But some man will say, Thou have faith, and I have works. Show me thy faith from thy works, and I will show thee from my works my faith.
But a man may say, You have faith and I have works; let me see your faith without your works, and I will make my faith clear to you by my works.
19 Thou believe that there is one God, thou do well. The demons also believe, and shudder.
You have the belief that God is one, and you do well: the evil spirits have the same belief, shaking with fear.
20 But do thou want to know, O vain man, that faith apart from works is dead?
Do you not see, O foolish man, that faith without works is of no use?
21 Was not Abraham our father made righteous from works, having offered up Isaac his son upon the altar?
Was not the righteousness of Abraham our father judged by his works, when he made an offering of Isaac his son on the altar?
22 Thou see that faith was working with his works, and from the works, faith was fully perfected.
You see that his faith was helping his works and was made complete by them;
23 And the scripture was fulfilled, which says, And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him for righteousness, and he was called a friend of God.
And the holy Writings were put into effect which said, And Abraham had faith in God and it was put to his account as righteousness; and he was named the friend of God.
24 Ye see therefore that from works a man is made righteous, and not from faith only.
You see that a man's righteousness is judged by his works and not by his faith only.
25 And likewise also was not Rahab the harlot made righteous from works, having received the agents, and having sent them out another way?
And in the same way, was not the righteousness of Rahab, the loose woman, judged by her works, when she took into her house those who were sent and let them go out by another way?
26 For as the body without a spirit is dead, so also faith without the works is dead.
For as the body without the spirit is dead even so faith without works is dead.
