Beware of Personal Favoritism

My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, (A)the Lord of glory, with (B)partiality. 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, 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,” have you not [d]shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?

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? But (F)you have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you (G)and drag you into the courts? Do they not blaspheme that noble name by which you are (H)called?

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. James 2:2 bright
  2. James 2:2 vile
  3. James 2:3 Lit. look upon
  4. James 2:4 differentiated

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?

Read full chapter

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.