James 2

1 My brothers, as you hold out your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, do not show favoritism.

2 Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in.

3 If you lavish attention on the man in fine clothes and say, “Here is a seat of honor,” but say to the poor man, “You must stand” or “Sit here under my footstool,”

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

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

6 But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you and drag you into court?

7 Are they not the ones who blaspheme the noble name by which you have been called?

8 If you really fulfill the royal law stated in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.

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

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

11 For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.

12 Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom.

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

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

15 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.

16 If one of you tells him, “Go in peace; stay warm and well fed,” but does not provide for his physical needs, what good is that?

17 So too, faith by itself, if it does not result in action, is dead.

18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have deeds.” Show me your faith apart from your deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.

19 You believe that God is one. Good for you! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.

20 O foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is dead?

21 Was not our father Abraham justified by what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?

22 You see that his faith was working with his actions, and his faith was perfected by what he did.

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.

24 As you can see, then, a man is justified by his deeds and not by faith alone.

25 In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute justified by her actions when she welcomed the spies and sent them off on another route?

26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

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

2 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 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:

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

5 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?

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

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

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

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

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

11 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.

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

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

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

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

16 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?

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

18 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.

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

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

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

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

23 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.

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

25 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 without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

1 Brethren, think not that faith in Jesus Christ our Lord of glory suffereth any respect of person.

2 For if there come into your assembly a man with a ring of gold, and with a glorious garment; but there come also a poor man with an unclean garment,

3 And ye saw him that bare the glorious robe, and said unto him, Sit thou here in the best, and say unto the poor man: Stand thou there, or sit thou here at my feet,

4 And consider not rightly, but become judges, and make evil difference.

5 Listen, my dear brothers! Does not God have the poor in this world who are rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He has promised to those who love Him?

6 But ye have done dishonour to the poor. Are not the rich the ones who do violence to you and drag you into court?

7 Do they not blaspheme the good name whereof ye are called?

8 If ye perfect the royal law according to the scripture: Love thy neighbour as thyself, and ye shall do well.

9 But if ye look on the person, ye sin, and are punished of the law as transgressors.

10 For if any man keep the whole law, and sin in one, he is whole.

11 For he that said: Thou shalt not commit adultery, he also said, Thou shalt not kill. If therefore thou commit not adultery, but kill, thou art a transgressor of the law.

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

13 And there shall be an unmerciful judgment upon him that hath not shown mercy: and mercy shall boast itself against judgment.

14 What profit is it, brethren, if a man say that he hath faith, and have not works? Can faith also save him?

15 But if a brother or sister would be naked and in want of daily food,

16 And if any of you should say unto them: God shall counsel you, and warm you, and satisfy you: but if ye give them not the necessities of the body, what shall it profit them?

17 So also faith, if it have not works, is dead in itself.

18 But if any man say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith with thy works, and I will shew thee my faith with my works.

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

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

21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, in that he sacrificed his son Isaac on the altar?

22 Then seest thou that faith was instrumental in his works, and by works faith was made perfect.

23 And the scripture is fulfilled, which saith, Abraham believed God, and was counted unto him for righteousness, and was called a friend of God.

24 Behold therefore, that a man is justified by works, and not by faith alone.

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

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