If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, (A)“You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well; but if you [a]show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as (B)transgressors. 10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet (C)stumble in one point, (D)he is guilty of all. 11 For He who said, (E)“Do not commit adultery,” also said, (F)“Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12 So speak and so do as those who will be judged by (G)the law of liberty.

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Footnotes

  1. James 2:9 Lit. receive the face

If, however, you are [really] fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself [that is, if you have an unselfish concern for others and do things for their benefit]” you are doing well.(A) But if you show partiality [prejudice, favoritism], you are committing sin and are convicted by the Law as offenders. 10 For whoever keeps the whole Law but stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of [breaking] all of it. 11 For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but you murder, you have become [a]guilty of transgressing the [entire] Law.(B) 12 Speak and act [consistently] as people who are going to be judged by the law of liberty [that moral law that frees obedient Christians from the bondage of sin].

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Footnotes

  1. James 2:11 Lit a transgressor of Law.

If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,”[a](A) you are doing right. But if you show favoritism,(B) you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.(C) 10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles(D) at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.(E) 11 For he who said, “You shall not commit adultery,”[b](F) also said, “You shall not murder.”[c](G) If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.

12 Speak and act as those who are going to be judged(H) by the law that gives freedom,(I)

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Footnotes

  1. James 2:8 Lev. 19:18
  2. James 2:11 Exodus 20:14; Deut. 5:18
  3. James 2:11 Exodus 20:13; Deut. 5:17