El pecado de la parcialidad

Hermanos míos(A), no tengáis vuestra fe(B) en nuestro glorioso Señor Jesucristo(C) con una actitud de favoritismo(D). Porque si en vuestra congregación[a] entra un hombre con anillo de oro y vestido de ropa lujosa[b](E), y también entra un pobre con ropa sucia[c](F), y dais atención especial[d] al que lleva la ropa lujosa(G), y decís: Tú siéntate aquí, en un buen lugar; y al pobre decís: Tú estate allí de pie, o siéntate junto a mi estrado; ¿no habéis hecho distinciones entre vosotros mismos, y habéis venido a ser jueces con malos pensamientos[e](H)? Hermanos míos amados(I), escuchad: ¿No escogió Dios a los pobres(J) de este[f] mundo para ser ricos en fe(K) y herederos del reino(L) que Él prometió(M) a los que le aman? Pero vosotros habéis menospreciado[g] al pobre. ¿No son los ricos los que os oprimen y personalmente[h] os arrastran a los tribunales(N)? ¿No blasfeman ellos(O) el buen nombre por el cual habéis sido llamados[i]? Si en verdad cumplís la ley real[j](P) conforme a la Escritura: Amarás a tu prójimo como a ti mismo(Q), bien hacéis. Pero si mostráis favoritismo(R), cometéis pecado y sois hallados culpables por la ley como transgresores. 10 Porque cualquiera que guarda toda la ley, pero tropieza(S) en un punto, se ha hecho culpable de todos(T). 11 Pues el que dijo: No cometas[k] adulterio(U), también dijo: No mates[l](V). Ahora bien, si tú no cometes adulterio, pero matas, te has convertido en transgresor de la ley. 12 Así hablad y así proceded, como los que han de ser juzgados por la ley de la libertad(W). 13 Porque el juicio será sin misericordia(X) para el que no ha mostrado misericordia; la misericordia triunfa sobre[m] el juicio.

La fe y las obras

14 ¿De qué sirve[n](Y), hermanos míos(Z), si alguno dice que tiene fe, pero no tiene obras? ¿Acaso puede esa[o] fe salvarlo? 15 Si un hermano o una hermana no tienen ropa[p](AA) y carecen del sustento diario, 16 y uno de vosotros les dice: Id en paz(AB), calentaos y saciaos, pero no les dais lo necesario para su cuerpo, ¿de qué sirve[q]? 17 Así también la fe(AC) por sí misma, si no tiene obras, está muerta. 18 Pero alguno dirá: Tú tienes fe y yo tengo obras(AD). Muéstrame tu fe sin las obras(AE), y yo te mostraré mi fe(AF) por mis obras(AG). 19 Tú crees que Dios es uno[r](AH). Haces bien(AI); también los demonios creen(AJ), y tiemblan. 20 Pero, ¿estás dispuesto a admitir[s], oh hombre vano[t](AK), que la fe sin obras es estéril[u](AL)? 21 ¿No fue justificado por las obras Abraham nuestro padre(AM) cuando ofreció a Isaac su hijo sobre el altar? 22 Ya ves que la fe actuaba juntamente con sus obras(AN), y como resultado de las obras[v](AO), la fe fue perfeccionada; 23 y se cumplió la Escritura que dice: Y Abraham creyó a Dios y le fue contado por[w] justicia(AP), y fue llamado amigo de Dios(AQ). 24 Vosotros veis que el hombre es justificado por las obras y no solo por la fe. 25 Y de la misma manera, ¿no fue la ramera Rahab(AR) también justificada por las obras cuando recibió a los mensajeros y los envió por otro camino(AS)? 26 Porque así como el cuerpo sin el espíritu está muerto, así también la fe sin las obras está muerta(AT).

Footnotes

  1. Santiago 2:2 O, sinagoga
  2. Santiago 2:2 O, brillante
  3. Santiago 2:2 O, andrajosa, o, raída
  4. Santiago 2:3 Lit., miráis
  5. Santiago 2:4 O, móviles
  6. Santiago 2:5 Lit., al
  7. Santiago 2:6 O, afrentado
  8. Santiago 2:6 Lit., ellos
  9. Santiago 2:7 Lit., que ha sido invocado sobre vosotros
  10. Santiago 2:8 O, de nuestro Rey
  11. Santiago 2:11 O, No cometerás
  12. Santiago 2:11 O, No asesinarás
  13. Santiago 2:13 Lit., se gloría contra
  14. Santiago 2:14 O, aprovecha
  15. Santiago 2:14 Lit., la
  16. Santiago 2:15 Lit., están desnudos
  17. Santiago 2:16 O, aprovecha
  18. Santiago 2:19 O, que hay un Dios
  19. Santiago 2:20 Lit., ¿quieres saber
  20. Santiago 2:20 O, necio, o, insensato
  21. Santiago 2:20 Algunos mss. antiguos dicen: muerta
  22. Santiago 2:22 O, por las obras
  23. Santiago 2:23 O, como

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

Favoritism Forbidden

My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious(A) Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism.(B) Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges(C) with evil thoughts?

Listen, my dear brothers and sisters:(D) Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world(E) to be rich in faith(F) and to inherit the kingdom(G) he promised those who love him?(H) But you have dishonored the poor.(I) Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court?(J) Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong?

If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,”[a](K) you are doing right. But if you show favoritism,(L) you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.(M) 10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles(N) at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.(O) 11 For he who said, “You shall not commit adultery,”[b](P) also said, “You shall not murder.”[c](Q) If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.

12 Speak and act as those who are going to be judged(R) by the law that gives freedom,(S) 13 because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful.(T) Mercy triumphs over judgment.

Faith and Deeds

14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds?(U) Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food.(V) 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?(W) 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.(X)

18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”

Show me your faith without deeds,(Y) and I will show you my faith(Z) by my deeds.(AA) 19 You believe that there is one God.(AB) Good! Even the demons believe that(AC)—and shudder.

20 You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless[d]?(AD) 21 Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?(AE) 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together,(AF) and his faith was made complete by what he did.(AG) 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,”[e](AH) and he was called God’s friend.(AI) 24 You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.

25 In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?(AJ) 26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.(AK)

Footnotes

  1. James 2:8 Lev. 19:18
  2. James 2:11 Exodus 20:14; Deut. 5:18
  3. James 2:11 Exodus 20:13; Deut. 5:17
  4. James 2:20 Some early manuscripts dead
  5. James 2:23 Gen. 15:6