← Back
←Previous: james 1
Chapter 2
Next: james 3→

Verse 1

My brothers, do not hold the faith of our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of favoritism.

My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.

Verse 2

Suppose a man with gold rings and dressed in fine clothes enters your assembly, and a poor man in filthy clothes 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;

Verse 3

If you show special attention to the one wearing fine clothing and say, 'Here is a good seat for you,' but tell the poor man, 'You stand there,' or 'Sit here by my footstool,'

And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:

Verse 4

have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?

Verse 5

Listen, my beloved brothers: Has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?

Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?

Verse 6

But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you and drag you into court?

But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?

Verse 7

Are they not the ones who blaspheme the noble name that was invoked over you?

Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?

Verse 8

If you truly fulfill the royal law according to Scripture, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself,' you are doing well.

If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:

Verse 9

But if you show favoritism, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.

But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.

Verse 10

For whoever keeps the whole law but stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking it all.

For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

Verse 11

For He who said, 'You shall not commit adultery,' also said, 'You shall not murder.' Now if you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.

For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.

Verse 12

Speak and act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty.

So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.

Verse 13

For judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.

Verse 14

What good is it, my brothers, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?

What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?

Verse 15

If a brother or sister is without clothes and lacks daily food,

If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,

Verse 16

and one of you says to them, 'Go in peace, keep warm and be well fed,' but does not provide for their physical needs, what good is it?

And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?

Verse 17

In the same way, faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

Verse 18

But someone 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, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

Verse 19

You believe that God is one. You do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!

Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

Verse 20

Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith without works is useless?

But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

Verse 21

Was not our father Abraham justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar?

Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?

Verse 22

You see that his faith was working together with his works, and by works his faith was made perfect.

Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?

Verse 23

And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, 'Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,' and he was called a friend of God.

And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

Verse 24

You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.

Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

Verse 25

In the same way, was not Rahab the prostitute justified by her actions when she welcomed the messengers and sent them out by another route?

Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?

Verse 26

For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.

For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

←Previous: james 1
Chapter 2
Next: james 3→