ΙΑΚΩΒΟΥ 2
1550 Stephanus New Testament
2 αδελφοι μου μη εν προσωποληψιαις εχετε την πιστιν του κυριου ημων ιησου χριστου της δοξης
2 εαν γαρ εισελθη εις την συναγωγην υμων ανηρ χρυσοδακτυλιος εν εσθητι λαμπρα εισελθη δε και πτωχος εν ρυπαρα εσθητι
3 και επιβλεψητε επι τον φορουντα την εσθητα την λαμπραν και ειπητε αυτω συ καθου ωδε καλως και τω πτωχω ειπητε συ στηθι εκει η καθου ωδε υπο το υποποδιον μου
4 και ου διεκριθητε εν εαυτοις και εγενεσθε κριται διαλογισμων πονηρων
5 ακουσατε αδελφοι μου αγαπητοι ουχ ο θεος εξελεξατο τους πτωχους του κοσμου τουτου πλουσιους εν πιστει και κληρονομους της βασιλειας ης επηγγειλατο τοις αγαπωσιν αυτον
6 υμεις δε ητιμασατε τον πτωχον ουχ οι πλουσιοι καταδυναστευουσιν υμων και αυτοι ελκουσιν υμας εις κριτηρια
7 ουκ αυτοι βλασφημουσιν το καλον ονομα το επικληθεν εφ υμας
8 ει μεντοι νομον τελειτε βασιλικον κατα την γραφην αγαπησεις τον πλησιον σου ως σεαυτον καλως ποιειτε
9 ει δε προσωποληπτειτε αμαρτιαν εργαζεσθε ελεγχομενοι υπο του νομου ως παραβαται
10 οστις γαρ ολον τον νομον τηρησει πταισει δε εν ενι γεγονεν παντων ενοχος
11 ο γαρ ειπων μη μοιχευσης ειπεν και μη φονευσης ει δε ου μοιχευσεις φονευσεις δε γεγονας παραβατης νομου
12 ουτως λαλειτε και ουτως ποιειτε ως δια νομου ελευθεριας μελλοντες κρινεσθαι
13 η γαρ κρισις ανιλεως τω μη ποιησαντι ελεος και κατακαυχαται ελεος κρισεως
14 τι το οφελος αδελφοι μου εαν πιστιν λεγη τις εχειν εργα δε μη εχη μη δυναται η πιστις σωσαι αυτον
15 εαν δε αδελφος η αδελφη γυμνοι υπαρχωσιν και λειπομενοι ωσιν της εφημερου τροφης
16 ειπη δε τις αυτοις εξ υμων υπαγετε εν ειρηνη θερμαινεσθε και χορταζεσθε μη δωτε δε αυτοις τα επιτηδεια του σωματος τι το οφελος
17 ουτως και η πιστις εαν μη εργα εχη νεκρα εστιν καθ εαυτην
18 αλλ ερει τις συ πιστιν εχεις καγω εργα εχω δειξον μοι την πιστιν σου εκ των εργων σου καγω δειξω σοι εκ των εργων μου την πιστιν μου
19 συ πιστευεις οτι ο θεος εις εστιν καλως ποιεις και τα δαιμονια πιστευουσιν και φρισσουσιν
20 θελεις δε γνωναι ω ανθρωπε κενε οτι η πιστις χωρις των εργων νεκρα εστιν
21 αβρααμ ο πατηρ ημων ουκ εξ εργων εδικαιωθη ανενεγκας ισαακ τον υιον αυτου επι το θυσιαστηριον
22 βλεπεις οτι η πιστις συνηργει τοις εργοις αυτου και εκ των εργων η πιστις ετελειωθη
23 και επληρωθη η γραφη η λεγουσα επιστευσεν δε αβρααμ τω θεω και ελογισθη αυτω εις δικαιοσυνην και φιλος θεου εκληθη
24 ορατε τοινυν οτι εξ εργων δικαιουται ανθρωπος και ουκ εκ πιστεως μονον
25 ομοιως δε και ρααβ η πορνη ουκ εξ εργων εδικαιωθη υποδεξαμενη τους αγγελους και ετερα οδω εκβαλουσα
26 ωσπερ γαρ το σωμα χωρις πνευματος νεκρον εστιν ουτως και η πιστις χωρις των εργων νεκρα εστιν
James 2
Easy-to-Read Version
Love All People
2 My dear brothers and sisters, you are believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. So don’t treat some people better than others. 2 Suppose someone comes into your meeting wearing very nice clothes and a gold ring. At the same time a poor person comes in wearing old, dirty clothes. 3 You show special attention to the person wearing nice clothes. You say, “Sit here in this good seat.” But you say to the poor person, “Stand there!” or “Sit on the floor by our feet!” 4 Doesn’t this show that you think some people are more important than others? You set yourselves up as judges—judges who make bad decisions.
5 Listen, my dear brothers and sisters. God chose the poor people in the world to be rich in faith. He chose them to receive the kingdom God promised to those who love him. 6 But you show no respect to those who are poor. And you know that the rich are the ones who always try to control your lives. And they are the ones who take you to court. 7 And the rich are the ones who insult the wonderful name of Christ, the name by which you are known.
8 One law rules over all other laws. This royal law is found in the Scriptures: “Love your neighbor[a] the same as you love yourself.”[b] If you obey this law, you are doing right. 9 But if you are treating one person as more important than another, you are sinning. You are guilty of breaking God’s law.
10 You might follow all of God’s law. But if you fail to obey only one command, you are guilty of breaking all the commands in that law. 11 God said, “Don’t commit adultery.”[c] The same God also said, “Don’t kill.”[d] So if you don’t commit adultery, but you kill someone, you are guilty of breaking all of God’s law.
12 You will be judged by the law that makes people free. You should remember this in everything you say and do. 13 Yes, you must show mercy to others. If you do not show mercy, then God will not show mercy to you when he judges you. But the one who shows mercy can stand without fear before the Judge.
Faith and Good Works
14 My brothers and sisters, if a person claims to have faith but does nothing, that faith is worth nothing. Faith like that cannot save anyone. 15 Suppose a brother or sister in Christ comes to you in need of clothes or something to eat. 16 And you say to them, “God be with you! I hope you stay warm and get plenty to eat,” but you don’t give them the things they need. If you don’t help them, your words are worthless. 17 It is the same with faith. If it is just faith and nothing more—if it doesn’t do anything—it is dead.
18 But someone might argue, “Some people have faith, and others have good works.” My answer would be that you can’t show me your faith if you don’t do anything. But I will show you my faith by the good I do. 19 You believe there is one God. That’s good, but even the demons believe that! And they shake with fear.
20 You fool! Faith that does nothing is worth nothing. Do you want me to prove this to you? 21 Our father Abraham was made right with God by what he did. He offered his son Isaac to God on the altar. 22 So you see that Abraham’s faith and what he did worked together. His faith was made perfect by what he did. 23 This shows the full meaning of the Scriptures that say, “Abraham believed God, and because of this faith he was accepted as one who is right with God.”[e] Abraham was called “God’s friend.”[f] 24 So you see that people are made right with God by what they do. They cannot be made right by faith alone.
25 Another example is Rahab. She was a prostitute, but she was made right with God by something she did. She helped those who were spying for God’s people. She welcomed them into her home and helped them escape by a different road.[g]
26 A person’s body that does not have a spirit is dead. It is the same with faith—faith that does nothing is dead!
Footnotes
- James 2:8 your neighbor Or “others.” Jesus’ teaching in Lk. 10:25-37 makes clear that this includes anyone in need.
- James 2:8
Quote from Lev. 19:18. - James 2:11
Quote from Ex. 20:14; Deut. 5:18. - James 2:11
Quote from Ex. 20:13; Deut. 5:17. - James 2:23
Quote from Gen. 15:6. - James 2:23
Quote from 2 Chron. 20:7; Isa. 41:8. - James 2:25 She helped … road The story about Rahab is found in Josh. 2:1-21.
James 2
King James Version
2 My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.
2 For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;
3 And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:
4 Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?
5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?
6 But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?
7 Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?
8 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:
9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.
12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.
13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.
14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
James 2
New King James Version
Beware of Personal Favoritism
2 My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, (A)the Lord of glory, with (B)partiality. 2 For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in [a]fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in [b]filthy clothes, 3 and you [c]pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, “You sit here in a good place,” and say to the poor man, “You stand there,” or, “Sit here at my footstool,” 4 have you not [d]shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?
5 Listen, my beloved brethren: (C)Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be (D)rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom (E)which He promised to those who love Him? 6 But (F)you have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you (G)and drag you into the courts? 7 Do they not blaspheme that noble name by which you are (H)called?
8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, (I)“You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well; 9 but if you [e]show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as (J)transgressors. 10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet (K)stumble in one point, (L)he is guilty of all. 11 For He who said, (M)“Do not commit adultery,” also said, (N)“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 (O)the law of liberty. 13 For (P)judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown (Q)no (R)mercy. (S)Mercy triumphs over judgment.
Faith Without Works Is Dead(T)
14 (U)What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 (V)If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and (W)one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” (X)Show me your faith without [f]your works, (Y)and I will show you my faith by [g]my works. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is [h]dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works (Z)when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see (AA)that faith was working together with his works, and by (AB)works faith was made [i]perfect? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, (AC)“Abraham believed God, and it was [j]accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called (AD)the friend of God. 24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.
25 Likewise, (AE)was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?
26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
Footnotes
- James 2:2 bright
- James 2:2 vile
- James 2:3 Lit. look upon
- James 2:4 differentiated
- James 2:9 Lit. receive the face
- James 2:18 NU omits your
- James 2:18 NU omits my
- James 2:20 NU useless
- James 2:22 complete
- James 2:23 credited
Copyright © 2006 by Bible League International
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
