Devine Scripture

James 2:8

What does James 2:8 mean?

A plain-English look at James 2:8 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What James 2:8 means

James commends those who fulfill the “royal law” from Scripture: “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” It is royal because it belongs to the King and sums up His kingdom ethic. Loving one’s neighbor measures obedience not by selective kindness but by the standard we naturally apply to ourselves. To love as oneself means to seek the other’s good with the same seriousness we seek our own. In a community formed by this law, favoritism has no ground to stand on. When the church practices neighbor-love, it mirrors the heart of its Lord and does well in God’s sight.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

Howbeit if ye fulfil the royal law, according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well:

KJV

King James Version · 1611

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

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

Howbeit if ye fulfil the royal law, according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well:

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

But if you keep the greatest law of all, as it is given in the holy Writings, Have love for your neighbour as for yourself, you do well:

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

If, indeed, royal law ye complete, according to the Writing, `Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself,' --ye do well;

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

If then you fulfil the royal law, according to the scriptures: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself; you do well.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

If indeed ye keep [the] royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well.

Context

After exposing the folly of honoring the rich who oppose Christ (vv. 5–7), James sets forth the positive alternative in verse 8. This prepares for verses 9–11, where he warns that partiality violates this central command and, because the law is a unified expression of God’s will, makes one a transgressor. The shift from critique to command clarifies that the issue is not merely social optics but covenant faithfulness to God’s revealed standard of love.

v.7Do not they blaspheme the honorable name by which ye are called?

v.8This passage

v.9but if ye have respect of persons, ye commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Galatians 6:2

    Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

  • Leviticus 19:34

    The stranger that sojourneth with you shall be unto you as the home-born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were sojourners in the land of Egypt: I am Jehovah your God.

  • Matthew 25:23

    His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will set thee over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

  • Jonah 4:9

    And God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd? And he said, I do well to be angry, even unto death.

  • Mark 12:31

    The second is this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

  • James 2:12

    So speak ye, and so do, as men that are to be judged by a law of liberty.

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