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The Sin of Partiality

My brothers,[a] (A)show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, (B)the Lord of glory. For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” (C)while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become (D)judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my beloved brothers, (E)has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be (F)rich in faith and heirs of (G)the kingdom, (H)which he has promised to those who love him? But you (I)have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who (J)drag you (K)into court? Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable (L)name by which you were called?

If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, (M)“You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. But if you (N)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 (O)has become guilty of all of it. 11 For he who said, (P)“Do not commit adultery,” also said, (Q)“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 (R)the law of liberty. 13 For (S)judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

Faith Without Works Is Dead

14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith (T)but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 (U)If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 (V)and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good[b] is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith (W)apart from your works, and I will show you my faith (X)by my works. 19 (Y)You believe that God is one; you do well. Even (Z)the demons believe—and shudder! 20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? 21 (AA)Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that (AB)faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed (AC)by his works; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, (AD)“Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a (AE)friend of God. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 And in the same way was not also (AF)Rahab the prostitute justified by works (AG)when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

Footnotes

  1. James 2:1 Or brothers and sisters; also verses 5, 14
  2. James 2:16 Or benefit

A Warning against Prejudice

My dear brothers and sisters,[a] how can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people over others?

For example, suppose someone comes into your meeting[b] dressed in fancy clothes and expensive jewelry, and another comes in who is poor and dressed in dirty clothes. If you give special attention and a good seat to the rich person, but you say to the poor one, “You can stand over there, or else sit on the floor”—well, doesn’t this discrimination show that your judgments are guided by evil motives?

Listen to me, dear brothers and sisters. Hasn’t God chosen the poor in this world to be rich in faith? Aren’t they the ones who will inherit the Kingdom he promised to those who love him? But you dishonor the poor! Isn’t it the rich who oppress you and drag you into court? Aren’t they the ones who slander Jesus Christ, whose noble name[c] you bear?

Yes indeed, it is good when you obey the royal law as found in the Scriptures: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”[d] But if you favor some people over others, you are committing a sin. You are guilty of breaking the law.

10 For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God’s laws. 11 For the same God who said, “You must not commit adultery,” also said, “You must not murder.”[e] So if you murder someone but do not commit adultery, you have still broken the law.

12 So whatever you say or whatever you do, remember that you will be judged by the law that sets you free. 13 There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you.

Faith without Good Deeds Is Dead

14 What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? 15 Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, 16 and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?

17 So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.

18 Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.”

19 You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God.[f] Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. 20 How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless?

21 Don’t you remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see, his faith and his actions worked together. His actions made his faith complete. 23 And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.”[g] He was even called the friend of God.[h] 24 So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone.

25 Rahab the prostitute is another example. She was shown to be right with God by her actions when she hid those messengers and sent them safely away by a different road. 26 Just as the body is dead without breath,[i] so also faith is dead without good works.

Footnotes

  1. 2:1 Greek brothers; also in 2:5, 14.
  2. 2:2 Greek your synagogue.
  3. 2:7 Greek slander the noble name.
  4. 2:8 Lev 19:18.
  5. 2:11 Exod 20:13-14; Deut 5:17-18.
  6. 2:19 Some manuscripts read that God is one; see Deut 6:4.
  7. 2:23a Gen 15:6.
  8. 2:23b See Isa 41:8.
  9. 2:26 Or without spirit.

Warning against Partiality

My brothers and sisters, do not claim the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ of glory while showing partiality.(A) For if a person with gold rings and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and if a poor person in dirty clothes also comes in, and if you take notice of the one wearing the fine clothes and say, “Have a seat here in a good place, please,” while to the one who is poor you say, “Stand there,” or, “Sit by my footstool,”(B) have you not made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters. Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him?(C) But you have dishonored the poor person. Is it not the rich who oppress you? Is it not they who drag you into the courts?(D) Is it not they who blaspheme the excellent name that was invoked over you?

If you really fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well.(E) But if you show partiality, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it.(F) 11 For the one who said, “You shall not commit adultery,” also said, “You shall not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery but you murder, you have become a transgressor of[a] the law.(G) 12 So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty.(H) 13 For judgment will be without mercy to anyone who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.(I)

Faith without Works Is Dead

14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? Surely that faith cannot save, can it?(J) 15 If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food(K) 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,” and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? 17 So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.

18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from works, and I by my works will show you faith.(L) 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder.(M) 20 Do you want to be shown, you senseless person, that faith apart from works is worthless?[b] 21 Was not our ancestor Abraham justified by works when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?(N) 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and by works faith was brought to completion.(O) 23 Thus the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,”[c] and he was called the friend of God.(P) 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 Likewise, was not Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she welcomed the messengers[d] and sent them out by another road?(Q) 26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is also dead.

Footnotes

  1. 2.11 Other ancient authorities read a rebel against
  2. 2.20 Other ancient authorities read dead or empty
  3. 2.23 Or justice
  4. 2.25 Other ancient authorities read spies

Ἀδελφοί μου, μὴ ἐν προσωπολημψίαις ἔχετε τὴν πίστιν τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τῆς δόξης; ἐὰν γὰρ εἰσέλθῃ [a]εἰς συναγωγὴν ὑμῶν ἀνὴρ χρυσοδακτύλιος ἐν ἐσθῆτι λαμπρᾷ, εἰσέλθῃ δὲ καὶ πτωχὸς ἐν ῥυπαρᾷ ἐσθῆτι, [b]ἐπιβλέψητε δὲ ἐπὶ τὸν φοροῦντα τὴν ἐσθῆτα τὴν λαμπρὰν καὶ [c]εἴπητε· Σὺ κάθου ὧδε καλῶς, καὶ τῷ πτωχῷ εἴπητε· Σὺ στῆθι [d]ἢ κάθου ἐκεῖ ὑπὸ τὸ ὑποπόδιόν μου, [e]οὐ διεκρίθητε ἐν ἑαυτοῖς καὶ ἐγένεσθε κριταὶ διαλογισμῶν πονηρῶν; ἀκούσατε, ἀδελφοί μου ἀγαπητοί. οὐχ ὁ θεὸς ἐξελέξατο τοὺς πτωχοὺς [f]τῷ κόσμῳ πλουσίους ἐν πίστει καὶ κληρονόμους τῆς βασιλείας ἧς ἐπηγγείλατο τοῖς ἀγαπῶσιν αὐτόν; ὑμεῖς δὲ ἠτιμάσατε τὸν πτωχόν. οὐχ οἱ πλούσιοι καταδυναστεύουσιν ὑμῶν, καὶ αὐτοὶ ἕλκουσιν ὑμᾶς εἰς κριτήρια; οὐκ αὐτοὶ βλασφημοῦσιν τὸ καλὸν ὄνομα τὸ ἐπικληθὲν ἐφ’ ὑμᾶς;

Εἰ μέντοι νόμον τελεῖτε βασιλικὸν κατὰ τὴν γραφήν Ἀγαπήσεις τὸν πλησίον σου ὡς σεαυτόν, καλῶς ποιεῖτε· εἰ δὲ προσωπολημπτεῖτε, ἁμαρτίαν ἐργάζεσθε, ἐλεγχόμενοι ὑπὸ τοῦ νόμου ὡς παραβάται. 10 ὅστις γὰρ ὅλον τὸν νόμον [g]τηρήσῃ, πταίσῃ δὲ ἐν ἑνί, γέγονεν πάντων ἔνοχος. 11 ὁ γὰρ εἰπών Μὴ [h]μοιχεύσῃς εἶπεν καί Μὴ [i]φονεύσῃς· εἰ δὲ οὐ [j]μοιχεύεις φονεύεις δέ, γέγονας παραβάτης νόμου. 12 οὕτως λαλεῖτε καὶ οὕτως ποιεῖτε ὡς διὰ νόμου ἐλευθερίας μέλλοντες κρίνεσθαι. 13 ἡ γὰρ κρίσις ἀνέλεος τῷ μὴ ποιήσαντι ἔλεος· κατακαυχᾶται [k]ἔλεος κρίσεως.

14 [l]Τί ὄφελος, ἀδελφοί μου, ἐὰν πίστιν λέγῃ τις ἔχειν ἔργα δὲ μὴ ἔχῃ; μὴ δύναται ἡ πίστις σῶσαι αὐτόν; 15 [m]ἐὰν ἀδελφὸς ἢ ἀδελφὴ γυμνοὶ ὑπάρχωσιν καὶ [n]λειπόμενοι τῆς ἐφημέρου τροφῆς, 16 εἴπῃ δέ τις αὐτοῖς ἐξ ὑμῶν· Ὑπάγετε ἐν εἰρήνῃ, θερμαίνεσθε καὶ χορτάζεσθε, μὴ δῶτε δὲ αὐτοῖς τὰ ἐπιτήδεια τοῦ σώματος, [o]τί ὄφελος; 17 οὕτως καὶ ἡ πίστις, ἐὰν μὴ [p]ἔχῃ ἔργα, νεκρά ἐστιν καθ’ ἑαυτήν.

18 Ἀλλ’ ἐρεῖ τις· Σὺ πίστιν ἔχεις κἀγὼ ἔργα ἔχω. δεῖξόν μοι τὴν πίστιν σου [q]χωρὶς τῶν [r]ἔργων, κἀγώ [s]σοι δείξω ἐκ τῶν ἔργων μου τὴν [t]πίστιν. 19 σὺ πιστεύεις ὅτι [u]εἷς ἐστιν ὁ θεός; καλῶς ποιεῖς· καὶ τὰ δαιμόνια πιστεύουσιν καὶ φρίσσουσιν. 20 θέλεις δὲ γνῶναι, ὦ ἄνθρωπε κενέ, ὅτι ἡ πίστις χωρὶς τῶν ἔργων [v]ἀργή ἐστιν; 21 Ἀβραὰμ ὁ πατὴρ ἡμῶν οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων ἐδικαιώθη, ἀνενέγκας Ἰσαὰκ τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον; 22 βλέπεις ὅτι ἡ πίστις συνήργει τοῖς ἔργοις αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἔργων ἡ πίστις ἐτελειώθη, 23 καὶ ἐπληρώθη ἡ γραφὴ ἡ λέγουσα· Ἐπίστευσεν δὲ Ἀβραὰμ τῷ θεῷ, καὶ ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην, καὶ φίλος θεοῦ ἐκλήθη. 24 [w]ὁρᾶτε ὅτι ἐξ ἔργων δικαιοῦται ἄνθρωπος καὶ οὐκ ἐκ πίστεως μόνον. 25 ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ Ῥαὰβ ἡ πόρνη οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων ἐδικαιώθη, ὑποδεξαμένη τοὺς ἀγγέλους καὶ ἑτέρᾳ ὁδῷ ἐκβαλοῦσα; 26 ὥσπερ [x]γὰρ τὸ σῶμα χωρὶς πνεύματος νεκρόν ἐστιν, οὕτως καὶ ἡ πίστις [y]χωρὶς ἔργων νεκρά ἐστιν.

Footnotes

  1. ΙΑΚΩΒΟΥ 2:2 εἰς WH Treg NIV ] + τὴν RP
  2. ΙΑΚΩΒΟΥ 2:3 ἐπιβλέψητε δὲ WH NIV ] καὶ ἐπιβλέψητε Treg RP
  3. ΙΑΚΩΒΟΥ 2:3 εἴπητε WH Treg NIV ] + αὐτῷ RP
  4. ΙΑΚΩΒΟΥ 2:3 ἢ κάθου ἐκεῖ WH ] ἐκεῖ ἢ κάθου Treg NIV; ἐκεῖ ἢ κάθου ὧδε RP
  5. ΙΑΚΩΒΟΥ 2:4 οὐ WH Treg NIV] καὶ οὐ RP
  6. ΙΑΚΩΒΟΥ 2:5 τῷ κόσμῳ WH Treg NIV ] τοῦ κόσμου RP
  7. ΙΑΚΩΒΟΥ 2:10 τηρήσῃ πταίσῃ WH Treg NIV ] τηρήσει πταίσει RP
  8. ΙΑΚΩΒΟΥ 2:11 μοιχεύσῃς WH Treg NIV ] μοιχεύσεις RP
  9. ΙΑΚΩΒΟΥ 2:11 φονεύσῃς WH Treg NIV ] φονεύσεις RP
  10. ΙΑΚΩΒΟΥ 2:11 μοιχεύεις φονεύεις WH Treg NIV ] μοιχεύσεις φονεύσεις RP
  11. ΙΑΚΩΒΟΥ 2:13 ἔλεος WH Treg NIV ] ἔλεον RP
  12. ΙΑΚΩΒΟΥ 2:14 Τί WH ] + τὸ Treg NIV RP
  13. ΙΑΚΩΒΟΥ 2:15 ἐὰν WH Treg NIV ] + δὲ RP
  14. ΙΑΚΩΒΟΥ 2:15 λειπόμενοι WH Treg NIV ] + ὦσιν RP
  15. ΙΑΚΩΒΟΥ 2:16 τί WH ] + τὸ Treg NIV RP
  16. ΙΑΚΩΒΟΥ 2:17 ἔχῃ ἔργα WH Treg NIV ] ἔργα ἔχῃ RP
  17. ΙΑΚΩΒΟΥ 2:18 χωρὶς WH Treg NIV ] ἐκ RP
  18. ΙΑΚΩΒΟΥ 2:18 ἔργων WH Treg NIV ] + σου RP
  19. ΙΑΚΩΒΟΥ 2:18 σοι δείξω WH Treg NIV ] δείξω σοι RP
  20. ΙΑΚΩΒΟΥ 2:18 πίστιν WH Treg NIV ] + μου RP
  21. ΙΑΚΩΒΟΥ 2:19 εἷς ἐστιν ὁ θεός Treg NIV ] εἷς θεός ἐστιν WH; ὁ θεὸς εἷς ἐστιν RP
  22. ΙΑΚΩΒΟΥ 2:20 ἀργή WH Treg NIV ] νεκρά RP
  23. ΙΑΚΩΒΟΥ 2:24 ὁρᾶτε WH Treg NIV ] + τοίνυν RP
  24. ΙΑΚΩΒΟΥ 2:26 γὰρ Treg NIV RP ] – WH
  25. ΙΑΚΩΒΟΥ 2:26 χωρὶς WH NIV ] + τῶν Treg RP

HERMANOS míos, no tengáis la fe de nuestro Señor Jesucristo glorioso en acepción de personas.

Porque si en vuestra congregación entra un hombre con anillo de oro, y de preciosa ropa, y también entra un pobre con vestidura vil,

Y tuviereis respeto al que trae la vestidura preciosa, y le dijereis: Siéntate tú aquí en buen lugar: y dijereis al pobre: Estáte tú allí en pie; ó siéntate aquí debajo de mi estrado:

¿No juzgáis en vosotros mismos, y venís á ser jueces de pensamientos malos?

Hermanos míos amados, oid: ¿No ha elegido Dios los pobres de este mundo, ricos en fe, y herederos del reino que ha prometido á los que le aman?

Mas vosotros habéis afrentado al pobre. ¿No os oprimen los ricos, y no son ellos los mismos que os arrastran á los juzgados?

¿No blasfeman ellos el buen nombre que fué invocado sobre vosotros?

Si en verdad cumplís vosotros la ley real, conforme á la Escritura: Amarás á tu prójimo como á ti mismo, bien hacéis:

Mas si hacéis acepción de personas, cometéis pecado, y sois reconvenidos de la ley como transgresores.

10 Porque cualquiera que hubiere guardado toda la ley, y ofendiere en un punto, es hecho culpado de todos.

11 Porque el que dijo: No cometerás adulterio, también ha dicho: No matarás. Ahora bien, si no hubieres cometido adulterio, pero hubiereis matado, ya eres hecho transgresor de la ley.

12 Así hablad, y así obrad, como los que habéis de ser juzgados por la ley de libertad.

13 Porque juicio sin misericordia será hecho con aquel que no hiciere misericordia: y la misericordia se gloría contra el juicio.

14 Hermanos míos, ¿qué aprovechará si alguno dice que tiene fe, y no tiene obras? ¿Podrá la fe salvarle?

15 Y si el hermano ó la hermana están desnudos, y tienen necesidad del mantenimiento de cada día,

16 Y alguno de vosotros les dice: Id en paz, calentaos y hartaos; pero no les diereis las cosas que son necesarias para el cuerpo: ¿qué aprovechará?

17 Así también la fe, si no tuviere obras, es muerta en sí misma.

18 Pero alguno dirá: Tú tienes fe, y yo tengo obras: muéstrame tu fe sin tus obras, y yo te mostraré mi fe por mis obras.

19 Tú crees que Dios es uno; bien haces: también los demonios creen, y tiemblan.

20 ¿Mas quieres saber, hombre vano, que la fe sin obras es muerta?

21 ¿No fué justificado por las obras Abraham nuestro padre, cuando ofreció á su hijo Isaac sobre el altar?

22 ¿No ves que la fe obró con sus obras, y que la fe fué perfecta por las obras?

23 Y fué cumplida la Escritura que dice: Abraham creyó á Dios, y le fué imputado á justicia, y fué llamado amigo de Dios.

24 Vosotros veis, pues, que el hombre es justificado por las obras, y no solamente por la fe.

25 Asimismo también Rahab la ramera, ¿no fué justificada por obras, cuando recibió los mensajeros, y los echó fuera por otro camino?

26 Porque como el cuerpo sin espíritu está muerto, así también la fe sin obras es muerta.