The Sin of Partiality

(A)My brothers and sisters, (B)do not hold your faith in our (C)glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of (D)personal favoritism. For if a man comes into your [a]assembly with a gold ring and is dressed in (E)bright clothes, and a poor man in (F)dirty clothes also comes in, and you [b]pay special attention to the one who is wearing the (G)bright clothes, and say, “You sit here in a good place,” and you say to the poor man, “You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool,” have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges (H)with evil [c]motives? Listen, (I)my beloved brothers and sisters: did (J)God not choose the poor [d]of this world to be (K)rich in faith and (L)heirs of the kingdom which He (M)promised to those who love Him? But you have dishonored the poor man. Is it not the rich who oppress you and [e]personally (N)drag you into [f]court? (O)Do they not blaspheme the good name [g]by which you have been called?

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Footnotes

  1. James 2:2 Or synagogue
  2. James 2:3 Lit look at
  3. James 2:4 Lit reasonings
  4. James 2:5 Lit to the
  5. James 2:6 Lit they themselves
  6. James 2:6 Lit courts
  7. James 2:7 Lit which has been called upon you

My brethren, [a]hold not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. For if there come into your [b]synagogue a man with a gold ring, in fine clothing, and there come in also a poor man in vile clothing; and ye have regard to him that weareth the fine clothing, and say, Sit thou here in a good place; and ye say to the poor man, Stand thou there, or sit under my footstool; [c]do ye not make distinctions [d]among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts? Hearken, my beloved brethren; did not God choose them that are poor as to the world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to them that love him? But ye have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you, and themselves drag you before the judgment-seats? Do not they blaspheme the honorable name [e]by which ye are called?

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Footnotes

  1. James 2:1 Or, do ye, in accepting persons, hold the faith . . . glory?
  2. James 2:2 Or, assembly. Compare Heb. 10:25 (Greek).
  3. James 2:4 Or, are ye not divided
  4. James 2:4 Or, in your own mind
  5. James 2:7 Greek which was called upon you? See Acts 15:17.