James 2

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

1My brothers, if you have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ of glory, do not take a man's position into account.

2For if there shall come into your assembly a man having a golden ring, in fine apparel; and there shall come in also a poor man in mean attire:

2For if a man comes into your Synagogue in fair clothing and with a gold ring, and a poor man comes in with dirty clothing,

3And you have respect to him that is clothed with the fine apparel and shall say to him: Sit thou here well: but say to the poor man: Stand thou there, or: Sit under my footstool:

3And you do honour to the man in fair clothing and say, Come here and take this good place; and you say to the poor man, Take up your position there, or be seated at my feet;

4Do you not judge within yourselves, and are become judges of unjust thoughts?

4Is there not a division in your minds? have you not become judges with evil thoughts?

5Hearken, my dearest brethren: Hath not God chosen the poor in this world, rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which God hath promised to them that love him?

5Give ear, my dear brothers; are not those who are poor in the things of this world marked out by God to have faith as their wealth, and for their heritage the kingdom which he has said he will give to those who have love for him?

6But you have dishonoured the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you by might? And do not they draw you before the judgment seats?

6But you have put the poor man to shame. Are not the men of wealth rulers over you? do they not take you by force before their judges?

7Do not they blaspheme the good name that is invoked upon you?

7Do they not say evil of the holy name which was given to you?

8If then you fulfil the royal law, according to the scriptures: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself; you do well.

8But 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:

9But if you have respect to persons, you commit sin, being reproved by the law as transgressors.

9But if you take a man's position into account, you do evil, and are judged as evil-doers by the law.

10And whosoever shall keep the whole law, but offend in one point, is become guilty of all.

10For anyone who keeps all the law, but makes a slip in one point, is judged to have gone against it all.

11For he that said: Thou shalt not commit adultery, said also: Thou shalt not kill. Now if thou do not commit adultery, but shalt kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.

11For he who said, Do not be untrue in married life, is the same who said, Put no man to death. Now if you are not untrue in married life, but you put a man to death, the law is broken.

12So speak ye and so do, as being to be judged by the law of liberty.

12Let your words and your acts be those of men who are to be judged by the law which makes free.

13For judgment without mercy to him that hath not done mercy. And mercy exalteth itself above judgment.

13For the man who has had no mercy will be judged without mercy, but mercy takes pride in overcoming judging.

14What shall it profit, my brethren, if a man say he hath faith, but hath not works? Shall faith be able to save him?

14What use is it, my brothers, for a man to say that he has faith, if he does nothing? will such a faith give him salvation?

15And if a brother or sister be naked and want daily food:

15If a brother or a sister is without clothing and in need of the day's food,

16And one of you say to them: Go in peace, be ye warmed and filled; yet give them not those things that are necessary for the body, what shall it profit?

16And one of you says to them, Go in peace, be warm and full of food; but you do not give them the things of which their bodies have need, what profit is there in this?

17So faith also, if it have not works, is dead in itself.

17Even so faith without works is dead.

18But some man will say: Thou hast faith, and I have works. Shew me thy faith without works; and I will shew thee, by works, my faith.

18But a man may say, You have faith and I have works; let me see your faith without your works, and I will make my faith clear to you by my works.

19Thou believest that there is one God. Thou dost well: the devils also believe and tremble.

19You have the belief that God is one, and you do well: the evil spirits have the same belief, shaking with fear.

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

20Do you not see, O foolish man, that faith without works is of no use?

21Was not Abraham our father justified by works, offering up Isaac his son upon the altar?

21Was not the righteousness of Abraham our father judged by his works, when he made an offering of Isaac his son on the altar?

22Seest thou that faith did cooperate with his works and by works faith was made perfect?

22You see that his faith was helping his works and was made complete by them;

23And the scripture was fulfilled, saying: Abraham believed God, and it was reputed to him to justice, and he was called the friend of God.

23And the holy Writings were put into effect which said, And Abraham had faith in God and it was put to his account as righteousness; and he was named the friend of God.

24Do you see that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only?

24You see that a man's righteousness is judged by his works and not by his faith only.

25And in like manner also Rahab the harlot, was not she justified by works, receiving the messengers and sending them out another way?

25And in the same way, was not the righteousness of Rahab, the loose woman, judged by her works, when she took into her house those who were sent and let them go out by another way?

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

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