雅各书 2
Chinese Standard Bible (Simplified)
不可偏待人
2 我的弟兄们，你们应当持守对我们荣耀的主耶稣基督的信仰，不要怀着偏待人的心。 2 如果有一个戴着金戒指、穿着华丽衣服的人进了你们的会堂，又有一个穿着肮脏衣服的穷人也进来了， 3 你们却看重那穿华丽衣服的人，对他说“请你坐在这好位子上”，而对那穷人说“你站在那里”，或说“坐在我的脚凳下边”； 4 难道你们中间不就有了歧视，而你们也成了心怀恶念的审判官吗？
5 我亲爱的弟兄们，请听！神难道不是拣选了世上的那些贫穷人，使他们在信仰上富有，并且做他[a]国度的继承人吗？这国度是他应许给爱他之人的。 6 但你们却侮辱了这贫穷人！那欺压你们、把你们拉上法庭的，难道不是那些富有的人吗？ 7 那亵渎你们所敬奉的美好之名的，难道不是他们吗？
8 不过，你们如果照着经上那条至尊的[b]律法“要爱邻如己”[c]完全实行，你们就做得很好了。 9 但如果你们偏待人，就是犯罪，并被律法指证是违犯律法的人。 10 因为那遵守整个律法的人，只在一条上跌倒，就成了干犯所有律法的了。 11 原来那位说过“不可通奸”[d]的，也说过“不可杀人”[e]。你即使不通奸，却杀人，你还是成了违犯律法的人。
12 既然你们将要照着那使人得自由的律法受审判，就应当照此说话、行事。 13 要知道，那不施怜悯的人，要受毫无怜悯的审判；怜悯胜过审判。
信仰和行为
14 我的弟兄们，如果有人说自己有信仰，但却没有行为，这有什么好处呢？难道这种信仰能救他吗？
15 如果有弟兄或姐妹衣不蔽体，又缺乏日用的食物， 16 而你们当中有人对他们说：“平平安安地去吧！愿你们穿得暖、吃得饱！”，却不给他们身体所需要的，这有什么好处呢？ 17 信仰也是这样：如果没有行为，这信仰就是死的。
18 不过有人会说：“你有信仰；我有行为。”请给我看看你没有行为的信仰，我也本于自己的行为给你看看我的信仰。 19 你相信神只有一位，你就做得很好！连鬼魔也相信，并且恐惧战兢。
20 唉，你这虚空的人哪！你想知道没有行为的信仰是无用的[f]吗？ 21 我们的先祖亚伯拉罕把他的儿子以撒献在祭坛上，难道不是本于行为被称为义吗？ 22 你看，信仰和他的行为相辅相成，而且信仰是本于行为得以完全的。 23 这就应验了经上所说的：“亚伯拉罕信神，这就被算为他的义。”[g]他又被称为“神的朋友”。 24 可见人被称为义是本于行为，不仅是本于信仰。 25 同样，妓女瑞荷接待了那些使者，又从另一条路把他们送走，难道不也是本于行为被称为义吗？ 26 要知道，就像身体没有灵魂是死的，照样，信仰没有行为也是死的。
James 2
EasyEnglish Bible
Every person has equal value
2 My Christian friends, you must be kind to everyone. You trust the Lord Jesus Christ, who is great in heaven. So do not think that anyone is more valuable than any other person.
2 When you are meeting together as believers, maybe two men will come to join with you. One of them is wearing beautiful clothes, and he has gold rings on his hands. The other man is poor, and he is wearing old clothes that are dirty. 3 You are kind to the man who is wearing beautiful clothes. You say to him, ‘Please sit here in this good place.’ But you say to the poor man, ‘Go and stand over there.’ Or you may say to him, ‘Sit on the floor near my feet.’ 4 If you do that, you are thinking bad thoughts. You have decided that one person among you is better than another person. You must not do that.
5 My Christian friends, listen to me. God has chosen to bless people who are poor in this world. He has helped them to trust him. So really they are rich. God will give to them a place in his kingdom. He has promised to do that for all people who love him. 6 But you have not been kind to people who are poor. You have caused them to feel ashamed. Who causes you to have troubles? It is the rich people! They are the people who want the judges to punish you. 7 It is the rich people who say bad things against the good name of Jesus Christ. And you are called Christians because you belong to him.
8 But the message of God's kingdom is this: ‘Love other people as much as you love yourself.’ That is what the Bible says. If you really do that, you do well. 9 But if you are kind to some people and you are not kind to others, then you are doing a bad thing. God's Law shows that you are wrong. 10 Even if you fail to obey only one rule in God's Law, it means that you are guilty. It is the same as if you fail to obey all God's Law. 11 For example, God has said in his Law, ‘You must not have sex with anyone who is not your husband or your wife.’ But God has also said, ‘Do not kill another person.’ Perhaps you do not have sex in a wrong way like that. But if you then murder someone, God's Law shows that you are still wrong.
12 Remember that God will judge you one day. When he does that, he will use a law which makes us free. So remember this in everything that you say and in everything that you do. 13 God will not forgive anyone who has not forgiven other people. But God is kind! He judges us, but even more than that, he forgives us!
Believe God and do good things
14 My Christian brothers, you say that you believe in God. Then you must show this in the things that you do. If not, your faith will not help you. It will not save you. 15 For example, maybe a believer does not have enough clothes to wear or enough food to eat. 16 Then one of you may say to them, ‘Go with God's peace! I pray that you will be warm. I pray that you will eat well.’ But if you do not give to them what they need, that does not help them at all. 17 How we believe in God is also like that. If our faith does not lead us to do good things, then it is not worth anything. It is dead!
18 Someone may say, ‘You believe in God, but I do good things to help people.’ Then I would say, ‘You cannot show me that you believe in God if you do not do good things. I do good things, and that shows that I really believe in God.’ 19 You believe that there is only one God. That is good! But even the demons believe that! And it makes them very afraid.
20 You fool! If someone's faith does not lead them to do good things, it is not worth anything. You should know that! 21 Think about our ancestor Abraham. He offered his son Isaac on the altar as a gift to God.[a] Because he did that good thing, God accepted him as right with himself. 22 Abraham believed in God, and he did what God asked him to do. So you can see that both of these were necessary. When he did this good thing, he showed that he believed in God completely. 23 The Bible tells us what happened. It says, ‘Abraham believed God. As a result, God accepted Abraham as right with him.’[b] God also called Abraham his friend.
24 So you see how God accepts someone as right with himself. That person must not only believe in God. He must also do good things to show that he has faith.
25 It was the same with Rahab, long ago. She was a prostitute. She helped some of God's people who came to her house. She kept them safe from their enemies and she sent them away again by a different road.[c] Because she did those good things, God accepted her as right with himself. 26 If our bodies have no spirit, they are dead. In the same way, if our faith does not lead us to do good things, it is dead.
Footnotes
- 2:21 See Genesis 22.
- 2:23 See Genesis 15:6.
- 2:25 See Joshua 2:1-22; 6:23.
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
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
