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James 2:8-13
New International Version
James 2:8-13
New International Version
8 If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,”[a](A) you are doing right. 9 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) 13 because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful.(J) Mercy triumphs over judgment.
Footnotes
- James 2:8 Lev. 19:18
- James 2:11 Exodus 20:14; Deut. 5:18
- James 2:11 Exodus 20:13; Deut. 5:17
James 2:8-13
The Message
James 2:8-13
The Message
8-11 You do well when you complete the Royal Rule of the Scriptures: “Love others as you love yourself.” But if you play up to these so-called important people, you go against the Rule and stand convicted by it. You can’t pick and choose in these things, specializing in keeping one or two things in God’s law and ignoring others. The same God who said, “Don’t commit adultery,” also said, “Don’t murder.” If you don’t commit adultery but go ahead and murder, do you think your non-adultery will cancel out your murder? No, you’re a murderer, period.
12-13 Talk and act like a person expecting to be judged by the Rule that sets us free. For if you refuse to act kindly, you can hardly expect to be treated kindly. Kind mercy wins over harsh judgment every time.
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James 2:8-13
Good News Translation
James 2:8-13
Good News Translation
8 (A)You will be doing the right thing if you obey the law of the Kingdom, which is found in the scripture, “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.” 9 But if you treat people according to their outward appearance, you are guilty of sin, and the Law condemns you as a lawbreaker. 10 Whoever breaks one commandment is guilty of breaking them all. 11 (B)For the same one who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not commit murder.” Even if you do not commit adultery, you have become a lawbreaker if you commit murder. 12 Speak and act as people who will be judged by the law that sets us free. 13 For God will not show mercy when he judges the person who has not been merciful; but mercy triumphs over judgment.
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James 2:8-13
English Standard Version
James 2:8-13
English Standard Version
8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, (A)“You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. 9 But if you (B)show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point (C)has become guilty of all of it. 11 For he who said, (D)“Do not commit adultery,” also said, (E)“Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12 So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under (F)the law of liberty. 13 For (G)judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
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New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
The Message (MSG)
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson
Good News Translation (GNT) 
Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition) © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved. For more information about GNT, visit www.bibles.com and www.gnt.bible.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.