James 2
1 My brothers, within the glorious faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, do not choose to show favoritism toward persons.
My brothers, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ of glory with partiality.
2 For if a man has entered your assembly having a gold ring and splendid apparel, and if a poor man has also entered, in dirty clothing,
For if someone with a gold ring, in fine clothing, comes into your synagogue, and a poor person in filthy clothing also comes in;
3 and if you are then attentive to the one who is clothed in excellent apparel, so that you say to him, “You may sit in this good place,” but you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit below my footstool,”
and you pay special attention to the one who wears the fine clothing, and say, "Sit here in a good place;" but you tell the poor person, "Stand there," or "Sit by my footstool."
4 are you not judging within yourselves, and have you not become judges with unjust thoughts?
Have you not discriminated among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?
5 My most beloved brothers, listen. Has not God chosen the poor in this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that God has promised to those who love him?
Listen, my beloved brothers. Did not God choose those who are poor in this world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the Kingdom which he promised to those who love him?
6 But you have dishonored the poor. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you through power? And are not they the ones who drag you to judgment?
But you have dishonored the poor person. Do not the rich oppress you, and personally drag you before the courts?
7 Are not they the ones who blaspheme the good name which has been invoked over you?
Do not they blaspheme the honorable name by which you are called?
8 So if you perfect the regal law, according to the Scriptures, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” then you do well.
However, if you fulfill the royal law, according to the Scripture, "You are to love your neighbor as yourself," you do well.
9 But if you show favoritism to persons, then you commit a sin, having been convicted again by the law as transgressors.
But if you show partiality, you commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors.
10 Now whoever has observed the whole law, yet who offends in one matter, has become guilty of all.
For whoever keeps the whole law, and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.
11 For he who said, “You shall not commit adultery,” also said, “You shall not kill.” So if you do not commit adultery, but you kill, you have become a transgressor of the law.
For he who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not commit murder." Now if you do not commit adultery, but murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.
12 So speak and act just as you are beginning to be judged, by the law of liberty.
So speak, and so do, as those who are to be judged by a law of freedom.
13 For judgment is without mercy toward him who has not shown mercy. But mercy exalts itself above judgment.
For judgment is without mercy to him who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
14 My brothers, what benefit is there if someone claims to have faith, but he does not have works? How would faith be able to save him?
What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith, but has no works? Can faith save him?
15 So if a brother or sister is naked and daily in need of food,
And if a brother or sister is poorly clothed and may be lacking in daily food,
16 and if anyone of you were to say to them: “Go in peace, keep warm and nourished,” and yet not give them the things that are necessary for the body, of what benefit is this?
and one of you tells them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled;" and yet you did not give them the things the body needs, what good is it?
17 Thus even faith, if it does not have works, is dead, in and of itself.
Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead in itself.
18 Now someone may say: “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without works! But I will show you my faith by means of works.
But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without works, and I by my works will show you my faith.
19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. But the demons also believe, and they tremble greatly.
You believe that God is one. You do well. The demons also believe, and shudder.
20 So then, are you willing to understand, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?
But do you want to know, foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?
21 Was not our father Abraham justified by means of works, by offering his son Isaac upon the altar?
Wasn't Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?
22 Do you see that faith was cooperating with his works, and that by means of works faith was brought to fulfillment?
You see that faith worked with his works, and by works faith was perfected;
23 And so the Scripture was fulfilled which says: “Abraham believed God, and it was reputed to him unto justice.” And so he was called the friend of God.
and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "And Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness;" and he was called the friend of God.
24 Do you see that a man is justified by means of works, and not by faith alone?
You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.
25 Similarly also, Rahab, the harlot, was she not justified by works, by receiving the messengers and sending them out through another way?
In like manner was not Rahab the prostitute also justified by works, in that she received the messengers, and sent them out another way?
26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.
For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, even so faith apart from works is dead.
