James 2
1 My brothers, don’t hold the faith of our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with partiality.
My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.
2 For if a man with a gold ring, in fine clothing, comes into your synagogue, and a poor man in filthy clothing also comes in,
For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;
3 and you pay special attention to him who wears the fine clothing and say, “Sit here in a good place;” and you tell the poor man, “Stand there,” or “Sit by my footstool”
And all of you have respect to him that wears the cheerful clothing, and say unto him, Sit you here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand you there, or sit here under my footstool:
4 haven’t you shown partiality amongst yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?
Are all of you not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?
5 Listen, my beloved brothers. Didn’t 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?
Hearken, my beloved brethren, Has not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he has promised to them that love him?
6 But you have dishonoured the poor man. Don’t the rich oppress you and personally drag you before the courts?
But all of you have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?
7 Don’t they blaspheme the honourable name by which you are called?
Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which all of you are called?
8 However, if you fulfil the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself,” you do well.
If all of you fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, You shall love your neighbour as yourself, all of you do well:
9 But if you show partiality, you commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors.
But if all of you have respect to persons, all of you commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
10 For whoever keeps the whole law, and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.
For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
11 For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not commit murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.
For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if you commit no adultery, yet if you kill, you are become a transgressor of the law.
12 So speak and so do as men who are to be judged by the law of freedom.
So speak all of you, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.
13 For judgement is without mercy to him who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgement.
For he shall have judgment without mercy, that has showed no mercy; and mercy rejoices against judgment.
14 What good is it, my brothers, if a man says he has faith, but has no works? Can faith save him?
What does it profit, my brethren, though a man say he has faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
15 And if a brother or sister is naked and in lack of daily food,
If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16 and one of you tells them, “Go in peace. Be warmed and filled;” yet you didn’t give them the things the body needs, what good is it?
And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be all of you warmed and filled; notwithstanding all of you give them not those things which are necessary to the body; what does it profit?
17 Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead in itself.
Even so faith, if it has not works, is dead, being alone.
18 Yes, a man will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
Yea, a man may say, You have faith, and I have works: show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
19 You believe that God is one. You do well. The demons also believe—and shudder.
You believe that there is one God; you do well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
20 But do you want to know, vain man, that faith apart from works is dead?
But will you know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
21 Wasn’t Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?
Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
22 You see that faith worked with his works, and by works faith was perfected.
See you how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
23 So the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him as righteousness,” and he was called the friend of God.
And the scripture was fulfilled which says, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
24 You see then that by works a man is justified, and not only by faith.
All of you see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
25 In the same way, wasn’t Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?
Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, even so faith apart from works is dead.
For as the body without the spirit (pneuma) is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
