James 2 ⓘ

2:1 My brothers, don’t hold the faith of our glorious Lord Jesus Christ 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 amongst 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 dishonoured the poor man. Don’t the rich oppress you and personally drag you before the courts?

2:7 Don’t they blaspheme the honourable name by which you are called?

2:8 However, if you fulfil the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself,” 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,” also said, “Do not commit murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.

2:12 So speak and so do as men who are to be judged by the law of freedom.

2:13 For judgement is without mercy to him who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgement.

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;” 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 will show you my faith by my works.

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 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.

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 when 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.