James 2:1-10

English Standard Version

The Sin of Partiality

2 My brothers,^[a] ^(A)show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, ^(B)the Lord of glory. ²For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, ³and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” ^(C)while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” ⁴have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become ^(D)judges with evil thoughts? ⁵Listen, my beloved brothers, ^(E)has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be ^(F)rich in faith and heirs of ^(G)the kingdom, ^(H)which he has promised to those who love him? ⁶But you ^(I)have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who ^(J)drag you ^(K)into court? ⁷Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable ^(L)name by which you were called?

⁸If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, ^(M)“You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. ⁹But if you ^(N)show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. ¹⁰For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point ^(O)has become guilty of all of it.

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Footnotes

James 2:1 Or brothers and sisters; also verses 5, 14

James 2:14-18

English Standard Version

Faith Without Works Is Dead

¹⁴What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith ^(A)but does not have works? Can that faith save him? ¹⁵^(B)If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, ¹⁶^(C)and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good^[a] is that? ¹⁷So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

¹⁸But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith ^(D)apart from your works, and I will show you my faith ^(E)by my works.

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