James 2

¹My brothers, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ of glory with partiality.

²For if a man with a gold ring, in fine clothing, comes into your synagogue, and a poor man in filthy clothing also comes in;

³and you pay special attention to him who wears the fine clothing, and say, "Sit here in a good place;" but you tell the poor man, "Stand there," or "Sit by my footstool;"

⁴haven't you shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?

⁵Listen, my beloved brothers. Did not 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?

⁶But you have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you, and personally drag you before the courts?

⁷Do not they blaspheme the honorable name by which you are called?

⁸However, if you fulfill the royal law, according to the Scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," you do well.

⁹But if you show partiality, you commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors.

¹⁰For whoever keeps the whole law, and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.

¹¹For he who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not commit murder." Now if you do not commit adultery, but murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.

¹²So speak, and so do, as men who are to be judged by a law of freedom.

¹³For judgment is without mercy to him who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

¹⁴What good is it, my brothers, if a man says he has faith, but has no works? Can faith save him?

¹⁵And if a brother or sister is naked and in lack of daily food,

¹⁶and one of you tells them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled;" and yet you did not give them the things the body needs, what good is it?

¹⁷Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead in itself.

¹⁸Yes, 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.

¹⁹You believe that God is one. You do well. The demons also believe, and shudder.

²⁰But do you want to know, foolish man, that faith apart from works is dead?

²¹Wasn't Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?

²²You see that faith worked with his works, and by works faith was perfected;

²³and 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.

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

²⁵In like manner was not Rahab the prostitute also justified by works, in that she received the messengers, and sent them out another way?

²⁶For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, even so faith apart from works is dead.

James 2

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

²For 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;

³And 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:

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

⁵Hearken, 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?

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

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

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

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

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

¹¹For 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.

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

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

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

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

¹⁶And 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?

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

¹⁸Yea, 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.

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

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

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

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

²³And 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.

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

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

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