James 2
1 Brothers of Mine, not with partiality do hold the faith of the Lord of us Jesus Christ of glory.
My friends, are you really trying to combine faith in Jesus Christ, our glorified Lord, with discrimination?
2 If for shall come into (the *k) assembly of you a man with a gold ring in apparel splendid, may come in then also a poor [man] in shabby apparel
Suppose a visitor should enter your synagogue, with gold rings and in grand clothes, and suppose a poor man should come in also, in shabby clothes,
3 (and *ko) you may look (also *no) upon the [one] wearing the apparel splendid and may say (to him: *k) You yourself do sit here honorably, and to the poor may say; You yourself do stand there or do sit (here *k) under the footstool of mine,
and you show more respect to the visitor who is wearing grand clothes, and say – ‘There is a good seat for you here,’ but to the poor man – ‘You must stand; or sit down there by my footstool,’
4 (and *ko) not were discriminated among yourselves and you have become judges with thoughts evil?
Haven’t you made distinctions among yourselves, and used evil standards of judgement?
5 do listen, brothers of mine beloved, Not God has chosen the poor (in the world *N+kO) (this *k) [to be] rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that He promised to those loving Him?
Listen, my dear friends. Has not God chosen those who are poor in the things of this world to be rich through their faith, and to possess the kingdom which he has promised to those who love him?
6 You yourselves however dishonored the poor. Surely the rich are oppressing you and they themselves dragging you into court?
But you – you insult the poor man! Isn’t it the rich who oppress you? Isn’t it they who drag you into law courts?
7 Surely they themselves are denigrating the good Name which having been called upon you?
Isn’t it they who malign that honourable name spoken over you at your baptism?
8 If indeed [the] law you keep royal according to the Scripture; You will love the neighbour of you as yourself, well you are doing;
If you keep the royal law which runs – “You must love your neighbour as you love yourself,” you are doing right;
9 If however you show partiality, sin you are committing being convicted by the law as transgressors.
but, if you discriminate, you commit a sin, and stand convicted by that same law of being offenders against it.
10 Whoever for all the law (may keep, may stumble *N+kO) but in one [point], he has become of all guilty.
For a person who has laid the Law, as a whole, to heart, but has failed in one particular, is accountable for breaking all its provisions.
11 The [One] for having said Not (you may commit adultery, *NK+o) said also Not (you may murder. *NK+o) If however not (you do commit adultery do commit murder *N+kO) however, you have become a transgressor of [the] law.
He who said “You must not commit adultery” also said “You must not murder.” If, then, you commit murder but not adultery, you are still an offender against the Law.
12 Thus do speak and so do act as through [the] law of freedom being about to be judged.
Therefore, speak and act as people who are to be judged by the “Law of freedom.”
13 For judgment without mercy [will be] to the [one] not having shown mercy; (and *k) (it triumphs over mercy *NK+o) judgment.
For there will be justice without mercy for the person who has not acted mercifully. Mercy triumphs over Justice.
14 What [is] the profit, brothers of mine, if faith shall say anyone to have, works however not he may have? Surely not is able the faith to save him?
My friends, what good is it if someone claims that they have faith, but they do not prove it by actions? Can such faith save them?
15 Now if (now *k) a brother or a sister without clothes shall be and lacking (they may be *ko) of daily food,
Suppose some brother or sister should be in need of clothes and of daily bread,
16 may say then anyone to them out from you; do go in peace, do be warmed and do be filled, surely not may give however to them the needful things for the body, what [is] the profit?
and one of you says to them – ‘Go, and peace be with you; keep warm and eat well!’ and yet you do not actually give them the necessities of life, what good would it be to them?
17 So also faith, only unless it shall have works [then] dead it is by itself.
In just the same way faith, if not followed by actions, is, by itself, a lifeless thing.
18 But will say someone; You yourself faith have, and I myself and I myself works have; do show me the faith of you (without *N+kO) the works (of you *k) and I myself and I myself you will show by the works of mine the faith (of mine. *k)
Someone, indeed, may say – ‘You are a man of faith, and I am a man of action.’ ‘Then show me your faith,’ I reply, ‘apart from any actions, and I will show you my faith by my actions.’
19 You yourself believe that one is God; Well you are doing! Even the demons believe [that] and shudder!
It is a part of your faith, is it not, that there is one God? Good; yet even the demons have that faith, and tremble at the thought.
20 Do you want however to come to know, O man foolish, that faith apart from works (worthless *N+KO) is?
Now do you really want to understand, fool, how it is that faith without actions leads to nothing?
21 Abraham the father of us not by works was justified having offered Isaac the son of him upon the altar?
Look at our ancestor, Abraham. Was he not justified by his actions after he had offered his son, Isaac, on the altar?
22 [Do] you see that [his] faith was working with the works of him and by [his] works [his] faith was perfected?
You see how, in his case, faith and actions went together; that his faith was perfected as the result of his actions;
23 And was fulfilled the Scripture which is saying; Believed then Abraham in God and it was counted to him for righteousness and a friend of God he was called.
and that in this way the words of scripture came true – ‘Abraham believed God, and that was regarded by God as righteousness,’ and ‘He was called the friend of God.’
24 You see (therefore *K) that by works is justified a man and not by faith alone.
You see, then, that a person is justified by actions, and not by faith alone.
25 Likewise then also Rahab the prostitute not by works was justified having received the messengers and by another way having sent [them] forth?
Wasn’t it the same with the prostitute, Rahab? Was she not justified by her actions, after she had welcomed the messengers and helped them escape by another road?
26 Just as for the body apart from spirit dead is, so also faith apart from works dead is.
Just as a body is dead without a spirit, so faith is dead without actions.
