James 2:1-7
Wycliffe Bible
2 My brethren, do not ye have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ of glory, in acception of persons [in acception, or taking, of persons].
2 For if a man that hath a golden ring, and in a fair clothing, cometh in your company, and a poor man entereth in a foul clothing, [Forsooth if there shall enter into your covent, or gathering together, a man having a gold ring, in white, or fair, cloth, forsooth and a poor man shall enter in foul habit, or cloth,]
3 and if ye behold into him [and ye behold into him] that is clothed with clear clothing, and if ye say to him, Sit thou here well; but to the poor man ye say, Stand thou there, either sit under the stool of my feet [Stand thou there, or sit under the stool of my feet];
4 whether ye deem not with yourselves, and be made doomsmen of wicked thoughts?
5 Hear ye, my most dear-worthy brethren, whether God chose not poor men in this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom, that God promised to men that love him?
6 But ye have despised the poor man. Whether rich men oppress not you by power, and they draw you to dooms [and draw you to dooms]?
7 Whether they blaspheme not the good name, that is called to help on you [that is in-called of you]?
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James 2:1-7
New Matthew Bible
He forbids them to have any respect of persons, but to regard the poor as well as the rich, to be loving and merciful, and not to boast of faith where no deeds are. For it is but a dead faith where good works do not follow.
2 Brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, in respect of persons. 2 If there comes into your company a man with a golden ring and in goodly apparel, and there comes in also a poor man in wretched clothing, 3 and you have a respect to him who wears the fine clothing, and say to him, Sit here in a good place, but say to the poor, Stand there, or, Sit here by my footstool, 4 are you not partial among yourselves, and have judged after evil thoughts?
5 Hearken, my dear beloved brethren. Has not God chosen the poor of this world, who are rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom that he promised to those who love him? 6 But you have dishonoured the poor. Are not the rich those who oppress you, and who draw you before judges? 7 Do they not speak evil of that good name after which you are named?
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James 2:1-7
1599 Geneva Bible
2 1 He sayeth, that to have respect of persons is not agreeable to Christ’s faith, 14 which to profess in words is not enough, unless 15 we show it also in deeds of mercy and charity, 21 after the example of Abraham.
1 My [a]brethren, have not the faith of our [b]glorious Lord Jesus Christ (A)in respect of persons.
2 For if there come into your company a man with a gold ring, and in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment,
3 And ye have a respect to him that weareth the gay clothing; and say unto him, Sit thou here in a [c]goodly place, and say unto the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool,
4 Are ye not partial in [d]your selves, and are become Judges of evil thoughts?
5 [e]Hearken my beloved brethren, hath not God chosen the [f]poor of this world, that they should be rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to them that love him?
6 But ye have despised the poor. [g]Do not the rich oppress you by tyranny, and do they not draw you before the judgment seats?
7 Do not they blaspheme the worthy Name after which ye be [h]named?
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- James 2:1 The fifth: Charity which proceedeth from a true faith, cannot stand with the accepting of persons: which he proveth plainly by setting forth their example, who with the reproach or disdain of the poor, honor the rich.
- James 2:1 For if we knew what Christ’s glory is, and esteemed it as we ought to do, there would not be such respect of persons as there is.
- James 2:3 In a worshipful and honorable place.
- James 2:4 Have ye not (which you ought not to do) by this means with yourselves judged one man to be preferred before another?
- James 2:5 He showeth that they are perverse and naughty Judges, which prefer the rich before the poor, by that that God on the contrary side preferreth the poor, whom he hath enriched with true riches, before the rich.
- James 2:5 The needy and wretched, and (if we measure it after the opinion of the world) the veriest abjects of all men.
- James 2:6 Secondly, he proveth them to be mad men: for that the rich men are rather to be holden execrable and cursed, considering that they persecute the Church, and blaspheme Christ: for he speaketh of wicked and profane rich men, such as the most part of them have been always, against whom he setteth the poor and abject.
- James 2:7 Word for word, which is called upon of you.
2001 by Terence P. Noble
Copyright © 2016 by Ruth Magnusson (Davis). Includes emendations to February 2022. All rights reserved.
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
