James 2

¹Mi britheren, nyle ye haue the feith of oure Lord Jhesu Crist of glorie, in accepcioun of persoones.

²For if a man `that hath a goldun ring, and in a feire clothing, cometh in youre cumpany, and a pore man entrith in a foul clothing,

³and if ye biholden in to hym that is clothid with clere clothing, and if ye seie to hym, Sitte thou here wel; but to the pore man ye seien, Stonde thou there, ethir sitte vndur the stool of my feet; whether ye demen not anentis you silf,

⁴and ben maad domesmen of wickid thouytis?

⁵Heere ye, my moost dereworthe britheren, whethir God chees not pore men in this world, riche in feith, and eiris of the kyngdom, that God bihiyte to men that louen him?

⁶But ye han dispisid the pore man. Whether riche men oppressen not you bi power, and thei drawen you to domes?

⁷Whether thei blasfemen not the good name, that is clepid to help on you?

⁸Netheles if ye performen the kingis lawe, bi scripturis, Thou schalt loue thi neiybour as thi silf, ye don wel.

⁹But if ye taken persones, ye worchen synne, and ben repreued of the lawe, as trespasseris.

¹⁰And who euere kepith al the lawe, but offendith in oon, he is maad gilti of alle.

¹¹For he that seide, Thou schalt do no letcherie, seide also, Thou schalt not sle; that if thou doist not letcherie, but thou sleest, thou art maad trespassour of the lawe.

¹²Thus speke ye, and thus do ye, as bigynnynge to be demyd bi the lawe of fredom.

¹³For whi dom with out merci is to hym, that doith no mercy; but merci aboue reisith dom.

¹⁴Mi britheren, what schal it profite, if ony man seie that he hath feith, but he hath not the werkis? whether feith schal mowe saue hym?

¹⁵And if a brother ethir sister be nakid, and han nede of ech daies lyuelode,

¹⁶and if ony of you seie to hem, Go ye in pees, be ye maad hoot, and be ye fillid; but if ye yyuen not to hem tho thingis that ben necessarie to bodi, what schal it profite?

¹⁷So also feith, if it hath not werkis, is deed in it silf.

¹⁸But summan schal seie, Thou hast feith, and Y haue werkis; schewe thou to me thi feith with out werkis, and Y schal schewe to thee my feith of werkis.

¹⁹Thou bileuest, that o God is; thou doist wel; and deuelis bileuen, and tremblen.

²⁰But wolt thou wite, thou veyn man, that feith with out werkis is idul?

²¹Whether Abraham, oure fadir, was not iustified of werkis, offringe Ysaac, his sone, on the auter?

²²Therfor thou seest, that feith wrouyte with hise werkis, and his feith was fillid of werkis.

²³And the scripture was fillid, seiynge, Abraham bileuede to God, and it was arettid to hym to riytwisnesse, and he was clepid the freend of God.

²⁴Ye seen that a man is iustified of werkis, and not of feith oneli.

²⁵In lijk maner, and whether also Raab, the hoore, was not iustified of werkis, and resseyuede the messangeris, and sente hem out bi anothir weie?

²⁶For as the bodi with out spirit is deed, so also feith with out werkis is deed.

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.