James 2
1 My brethren, hold not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, [the Lord] of glory, with respect of persons.
My brethren, hold ye not the faith of the glory of our Lord Jesus the Messiah, with a respect to persons.
2 For if there come into your synagogue a man with a gold ring, in fine clothing, and there come in also a poor man in vile clothing;
For if there come into your assembly a man with rings of gold or splendid garments, and there come in a poor man in sordid garments;
3 and ye have regard to him that weareth the fine clothing, and say, Sit thou here in a good place; and ye say to the poor man, Stand thou there, or sit under my footstool;
and ye show respect to him who is clothed in splendid garments, and say to him, Seat thyself here, conspicuously; while to the poor man, ye say, Stand thou there, or sit thou here before my footstool;
4 do ye not make distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?
are ye not divided among yourselves, and become expositors of evil thoughts?
5 Hearken, my beloved brethren; did not God choose them that are poor as to the world [to be] rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to them that love him?
Hear, my beloved brethren; hath not God chosen the poor of the world, but the rich in faith, to be heirs in the kingdom which God hath promised to them that love him?
6 But ye have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you, and themselves drag you before the judgment-seats?
But ye have despised the poor man. Do not rich men exalt themselves over you, and drag you before the tribunals?
7 Do not they blaspheme the honorable name by which ye are called?
Do they not revile that worthy name, which is invoked upon you?
8 Howbeit if ye fulfil the royal law, according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well:
And if in this ye fulfill the law of God, as it is written, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye will do well:
9 but if ye have respect of persons, ye commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors.
but if ye have respect of persons, ye commit sin; and ye are convicted by the law, as transgressors of the law.
10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one [point], he is become guilty of all.
For he that shall keep the whole law, and yet fail in one precept, is obnoxious to the whole law.
11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou dost not commit adultery, but killest, thou art become a transgressor of the law.
For he who said, Thou shalt not commit adultery, said also, Thou shalt not kill. If then thou commit no adultery, but thou killest, thou hast become a transgressor of the law.
12 So speak ye, and so do, as men that are to be judged by a law of liberty.
So speak ye, and so act, as persons that are to be judged by the law of liberty.
13 For judgment [is] without mercy to him that hath showed no mercy: mercy glorieth against judgment.
For judgment without mercy shall be on him, who hath practised no mercy: by mercy, ye will be raised above judgment.
14 What doth it profit, my brethren, if a man say he hath faith, but have not works? can that faith save him?
What is the use, my brethren, if a man say, I have faith; and he hath no works? can his faith vivify him?
15 If a brother or sister be naked and in lack of daily food,
Or if a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16 and one of you say unto them, Go in peace, be ye warmed and filled; and yet ye give them not the things needful to the body; what doth it profit?
and one of you say to them, Go in peace, warm yourselves, and be full; and ye give them not the necessaries of the body, what is the use?
17 Even so faith, if it have not works, is dead in itself.
So also faith alone, without works, is dead.
18 Yea, a man will say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith apart from [thy] works, and I by my works will show thee [my] faith.
For a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works; show to me thy faith that is without works; and I will show to thee, my faith by my works.
19 Thou believest that God is one; thou doest well: the demons also believe, and shudder.
Thou believest that there is one God; thou dost well; the demons also believe, and tremble.
20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith apart from works is barren?
Wouldst thou know, O frail man, that faith without works is dead?
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son upon the altar?
Abraham our father, was not he justified by works, in offering his son Isaac upon the altar?
22 Thou seest that faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect;
Seest thou, that his faith aided his works; and that by the works his faith was rendered complete?
23 and the scripture was fulfilled which saith, And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness; and he was called the friend of God.
And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith: Abraham believed in God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness, and he was called the Friend of God.
24 Ye see that by works a man is justified, and not only by faith.
Thou seest, that by works a man is justified, and not by faith alone.
25 And in like manner was not also Rahab the harlot justified by works, in that she received the messengers, and sent them out another way?
So also Rahab, the harlot, was not she justified by works, when she entertained the spies, and sent them forth by another way?
26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, even so faith apart from works is dead.
As the body without the spirit, is dead; so faith without works, is dead also.
