James 2
Evangelical Heritage Version
Warning Against Partiality
2 My brothers, have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ without showing favoritism. 2 For example, suppose a man enters your worship assembly[a] wearing gold rings and fine clothing, and a poor man also enters wearing filthy clothing. 3 If you look with favor on the man wearing fine clothing and say, “Sit here in this good place,” but you tell the poor man, “Stand over there” or “Sit down here[b] at my feet,” 4 have you not made a distinction among yourselves and become judges with evil opinions? 5 Listen, my dear brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom, which he promised to those who love him? 6 But you dishonored the poor man. Don’t the rich oppress you, and don’t they drag you into court? 7 Aren’t they the ones who blaspheme the noble name that was pronounced over you? 8 However, if you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,”[c] you are doing well. 9 But if you show favoritism, you are committing a sin, since you are convicted by this law as transgressors.
Keep the Whole Law
10 In fact, whoever keeps the whole law but stumbles in one point has become guilty of breaking all of it. 11 For the one who said, “Do not commit adultery,”[d] also said, “Do not commit murder.”[e] Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do commit murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12 So speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law of freedom. 13 For there will be judgment without mercy on the one who has not shown mercy. Mercy triumphs[f] over judgment.
Faith Is Active
14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says that he has faith but has no works? Such “faith” cannot save him, can it? 15 If a brother or sister needs clothes and lacks daily food 16 and one of you tells them, “Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,” but does not give them what their body needs, what good is it? 17 So also, such “faith,” if it is alone and has no works, is dead. 18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
19 You believe that God is one. Good for you! Even the demons believe that—and shudder! 20 But do you want proof, you mindless person, that such “faith” without works is dead?[g] 21 Wasn’t Abraham our father shown to be righteous by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 You see that his faith was working together with his works, and by his works his faith was shown to be complete. 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”[h] He was also called God’s friend.[i] 24 You see[j] that a person is shown to be righteous by works and not by faith alone.
25 In the same way also, wasn’t Rahab the prostitute shown to be righteous by works when she welcomed the spies and sent them out another way? 26 For just as the body without breath[k] is dead, so also faith without works is dead.
Footnotes
- James 2:2 Or synagogue
- James 2:3 Some witnesses to the text omit here.
- James 2:8 Leviticus 19:18
- James 2:11 Exodus 20:14; Deuteronomy 5:18
- James 2:11 Exodus 20:13; Deuteronomy 5:17
- James 2:13 Or boasts
- James 2:20 Some witnesses to the text read useless.
- James 2:23 Genesis 15:6
- James 2:23 2 Chronicles 20:7; Isaiah 41:8
- James 2:24 A few witnesses to the text read So you see.
- James 2:26 Or the spirit
雅各书 2
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)
不可以貌取人
2 我的弟兄姊妹，你们既然信了我们荣耀的主耶稣基督，就不可以貌取人。 2 比方说，一个手戴金饰、衣着华丽的人来参加你们的聚会，一个衣衫褴褛的人也来参加， 3 你们就看重那衣着华丽的，对他说：“请上座。”却对那穷人说：“你站在那边。”或“坐在我的脚凳边。” 4 你们这样做难道不是偏心待人，心怀恶意地判断人吗？
5 我亲爱的弟兄姊妹，请听我说，上帝不是拣选了穷人，使他们在信心上富足，并承受祂应许赐给那些爱祂之人的国度吗？ 6 你们反倒侮辱穷人。其实欺压你们、抓你们上法庭的不是那些富人吗？ 7 不正是他们亵渎你们所敬奉的尊名吗？
8 如果你们能切实行出圣经中“要爱邻如己”这条至尊的律法，就好了。 9 如果你们偏待人，嫌贫爱富，便是犯罪，律法要将你们定罪。 10 人只要触犯律法中的一条，就等于违犯了全部， 11 因为那位说“不可通奸”的，也说过“不可杀人”。如果你没有犯通奸罪，却杀了人，你仍违犯了律法。 12 既然你们要按使人自由的律法受审判，就应该按律法行事为人。 13 因为不怜悯人的会受到无情的审判，但怜悯胜过审判。
信心和行为
14 我的弟兄姊妹，如果有人自称有信心，却没有行为来证实，有什么用呢？这种信心能够救他吗？ 15 如果有弟兄姊妹缺衣少食， 16 你们只是对他们说：“安心走吧，愿你们穿得暖，吃得饱”，却不帮助他解决实际困难，这有什么用呢？ 17 因此，信心若没有行为，就是死的。
18 必有人说：“你有信心，我有行为。”请把你没有行为的信心指给我看，我就借着行为把我的信心显给你看。 19 你相信上帝只有一位，你信得没错，鬼魔也相信，而且恐惧战抖。
20 愚蠢的人啊，你们不知道没有行为的信心是死的吗？ 21 我们的祖先亚伯拉罕把儿子以撒献在祭坛上的时候，难道不是因行为而被称为义人吗？ 22 可见他的信心和行为相称，而且信心要有行为才是完全的。 23 这正应验了圣经的记载：“亚伯拉罕信上帝，就被算为义人”，并且被称为“上帝的朋友”。 24 可见人要被上帝算为义人必须有与信心相称的行为，并非单有信心。 25 还有妓女喇合，她收留使者，把他们藏在家里，又送他们从别的路逃生，不也是因行为而被称为义人吗？
26 身体没有灵魂是死的，同样，信心没有行为也是死的。
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
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.
The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.
Chinese Contemporary Bible Copyright © 1979, 2005, 2007, 2011 by Biblica® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
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