James Chapter 2 Back Next{2:1} My
brothers, don't hold the faith of our Lord
Jesus Christ of glory with partiality.
{2:2} 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;
{2:3} 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";
{2:4} haven't you shown partiality among yourselves, and become
judges with evil thoughts?
{2:5} 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?
{2:6} But you have dishonored the poor man. Don't the rich oppress you, and personally drag you before the courts?
{2:7} Don't they blaspheme the honorable name by which you are called?
{2:8} However, if you fulfill the royal
law, according to the Scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself,"[
Ref] you do well.
{2:9} But if you show partiality, you commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors.
{2:10} For whoever keeps the whole law, and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.
{2:11} For he who said, "Do not commit
adultery,"[
Ref] also said, "Do not commit murder."[
Ref] Now if you do not commit adultery, but murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.
{2:12} So speak, and so do, as men who are to be judged by a law of freedom.
{2:13} For judgment is without mercy to him who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
{2:14} What good is it, my brothers, if a man says he has faith, but has no works? Can faith save him?
{2:15} And if a brother or sister is naked and in lack of daily food,
{2:16} and one of you tells them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled"; and yet you didn't give them the things the body needs, what good is it?
{2:17} Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead in itself.
{2:18} Yes, a man 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.
{2:19} You believe that God is one. You do well. The
demons also believe, and shudder.
{2:20} But do you want to know, vain man, that faith apart from works is dead?
{2:21} Wasn't
Abraham our
father justified by works, in that he offered up
Isaac his son on the
altar?
{2:22} You see that faith worked with his works, and by works faith was perfected;
{2:23} and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him as righteousness";[
Ref] and he was called the friend of God.
{2:24} You see then that by works, a man is justified, and not only by faith.
{2:25} In the same way, wasn't Rahab the prostitute also justified by works, in that she received the messengers, and sent them out another way?
{2:26} For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, even so faith apart from works is dead.
James Chapter 2 Back Next