Print Page Options

Babala Laban sa Pagtatangi ng Tao

Mga kapatid ko, dapat ay pantay-pantay ang tingin ninyo sa lahat ng tao habang pinanghahawakan ninyo ang pananampalataya sa ating maluwalhating Panginoong Jesu-Cristo. Halimbawang pumasok sa inyong pagtitipon ang isang taong may gintong singsing at may magandang kasuotan, at dumating din ang isang dukha na gusgusin ang damit, at binigyang-pansin ninyo ang nakadamit nang maganda at sinabi sa kanya, “Narito ang magandang upuan para sa iyo” at sa dukha ay inyo namang sinabi, “Tumayo ka riyan,” o kaya'y, “Diyan ka na lang maupo sa may paanan ko,” hindi ba nagtatangi na kayo at humahatol nang may masamang pag-iisip? Pakinggan ninyo ito, minamahal kong mga kapatid. Hindi ba pinili ng Diyos ang mga dukha sa mundong ito upang maging mayaman sa pananampalataya at magmana ng kahariang kanyang ipinangako sa mga nagmamahal sa kanya? Ngunit hinahamak ninyo ang mga dukha. Hindi ba't ang mayayaman ang umaapi sa inyo at kumakaladkad sa inyo sa mga hukuman? Hindi ba't sila ang lumalapastangan sa marangal na pangalang itinawag sa inyo? Mabuti (A) ang inyong ginagawa kung tinutupad ninyo ang marangal na Kautusang mula sa ating Hari ayon sa Kasulatan, “Ibigin mo ang iyong kapwa gaya ng iyong sarili.” Ngunit kung nagtatangi kayo ng tao, kayo'y nagkakasala at ayon sa Kautusan, kayo'y napatunayang suwail kaya't dapat parusahan. 10 Sinumang tumutupad sa buong Kautusan, subalit lumalabag sa isang bahagi nito, ay nagkakasala sa buong Kautusan. 11 Sapagkat (B) ang Diyos na nagsabi, “Huwag kang mangalunya,” ay siya ring nagsabing, “Huwag kang papatay.” Kung hindi ka man nangangalunya, ngunit pumapatay ka naman, lumalabag ka rin sa Kautusan. 12 Kaya't mag-ingat kayo sa inyong pananalita at gawa, sapagkat hahatulan kayo ayon sa Kautusang nagpapalaya sa inyo. 13 Walang awang hahatulan ang mga hindi nagpakita ng awa. Ngunit ang habag ay magtatagumpay sa paghatol.

Pananampalataya at Gawa

14 Mga kapatid, ano ang pakinabang kung sabihin man ng isang tao na mayroon siyang pananampalataya, ngunit hindi naman ito nakikita sa gawa? Maililigtas ba siya ng ganoong uri ng pananampalataya? 15 Halimbawang ang isang kapatid ay walang maisuot at walang makain sa araw-araw, 16 at ang isa sa inyo ay magsabi sa kanya, “Pagpalain ka ng Diyos; magbihis ka't mabusog,” ngunit hindi naman ninyo ibinibigay ang mga kailangan ng kanyang katawan, ano'ng pakinabang niyon? 17 Gayundin naman, ang pananampalatayang walang kalakip na gawa ay patay. 18 Ngunit may magsasabi: Mayroon kang pananampalataya, at mayroon naman akong gawa. Ipakita mo sa akin ang pananampalataya mong walang kalakip na gawa, at ipapakita ko naman sa iyo ang aking pananampalataya sa pamamagitan ng aking mga gawa. 19 Sumasampalataya kang iisa ang Diyos? Mabuti! Ang mga demonyo man ay sumasampalataya at nanginginig pa. 20 Nais mo ba ng katibayan, O taong hangal, na walang kabuluhan ang pananampalataya na walang kasamang gawa? 21 Hindi (C) ba't kinalugdan ng Diyos ang ating amang si Abraham dahil sa kanyang mga gawa, nang ihandog niya sa dambana ang anak niyang si Isaac? 22 Dito'y makikita mong magkalakip ang kanyang pananampalataya at kanyang mga gawa, at naging ganap ang pananampalataya dahil sa kanyang mga gawa. 23 Natupad (D) ang sinasabi ng Kasulatan, “Si Abraham ay sumampalataya sa Diyos, at dahil dito, siya'y itinuring na matuwid,” at tinawag siyang kaibigan ng Diyos. 24 Dito ninyo makikita na ang tao'y itinuturing na matuwid dahil sa kanyang mga gawa at hindi dahil sa kanyang pananampalataya lamang. 25 Gayundin, (E) hindi ba't ang masamang babaing si Rahab[a] ay itinuring na matuwid dahil sa mga gawa, nang patuluyin niya ang mga espiya at nagturo ng ibang daan upang makatakas? 26 Sapagkat kung paanong ang katawang walang espiritu ay patay, ang pananampalatayang walang kalakip na gawa ay patay.

Footnotes

  1. Santiago 2:25 o babaing nagbibili ng panandaliang aliw.

My brethren, hold not, in respect of persons, the faith of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ,

for if there may come into your synagogue a man with gold ring, in gay raiment, and there may come in also a poor man in vile raiment,

and ye may look upon him bearing the gay raiment, and may say to him, `Thou -- sit thou here well,' and to the poor man may say, `Thou -- stand thou there, or, Sit thou here under my footstool,' --

ye did not judge fully in yourselves, and did become ill-reasoning judges.

Hearken, my brethren beloved, did not God choose the poor of this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the reign that He promised to those loving Him?

and ye did dishonour the poor one; do not the rich oppress you and themselves draw you to judgment-seats;

do they not themselves speak evil of the good name that was called upon you?

If, indeed, royal law ye complete, according to the Writing, `Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself,' -- ye do well;

and if ye accept persons, sin ye do work, being convicted by the law as transgressors;

10 for whoever the whole law shall keep, and shall stumble in one [point], he hath become guilty of all;

11 for He who is saying, `Thou mayest not commit adultery,' said also, `Thou mayest do no murder;' and if thou shalt not commit adultery, and shalt commit murder, thou hast become a transgressor of law;

12 so speak ye and so do, as about by a law of liberty to be judged,

13 for the judgment without kindness [is] to him not having done kindness, and exult doth kindness over judgment.

14 What [is] the profit, my brethren, if faith, any one may speak of having, and works he may not have? is that faith able to save him?

15 and if a brother or sister may be naked, and may be destitute of the daily food,

16 and any one of you may say to them, `Depart ye in peace, be warmed, and be filled,' and may not give to them the things needful for the body, what [is] the profit?

17 so also the faith, if it may not have works, is dead by itself.

18 But say may some one, Thou hast faith, and I have works, shew me thy faith out of thy works, and I will shew thee out of my works my faith:

19 thou -- thou dost believe that God is one; thou dost well, and the demons believe, and they shudder!

20 And dost thou wish to know, O vain man, that the faith apart from the works is dead?

21 Abraham our father -- was not he declared righteous out of works, having brought up Isaac his son upon the altar?

22 dost thou see that the faith was working with his works, and out of the works the faith was perfected?

23 and fulfilled was the Writing that is saying, `And Abraham did believe God, and it was reckoned to him -- to righteousness;' and, `Friend of God' he was called.

24 Ye see, then, that out of works is man declared righteous, and not out of faith only;

25 and in like manner also Rahab the harlot -- was she not out of works declared righteous, having received the messengers, and by another way having sent forth?

26 for as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also the faith apart from the works is dead.

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

My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.

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;

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:

Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?

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?

But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?

Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?

If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:

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.

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?

If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, (I)“You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well; but if you [e]show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as (J)transgressors. 10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet (K)stumble in one point, (L)he is guilty of all. 11 For He who said, (M)“Do not commit adultery,” also said, (N)“Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12 So speak and so do as those who will be judged by (O)the law of liberty. 13 For (P)judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown (Q)no (R)mercy. (S)Mercy triumphs over judgment.

Faith Without Works Is Dead(T)

14 (U)What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 (V)If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and (W)one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” (X)Show me your faith without [f]your works, (Y)and I will show you my faith by [g]my works. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is [h]dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works (Z)when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see (AA)that faith was working together with his works, and by (AB)works faith was made [i]perfect? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, (AC)“Abraham believed God, and it was [j]accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called (AD)the friend of God. 24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

25 Likewise, (AE)was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?

26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Footnotes

  1. James 2:2 bright
  2. James 2:2 vile
  3. James 2:3 Lit. look upon
  4. James 2:4 differentiated
  5. James 2:9 Lit. receive the face
  6. James 2:18 NU omits your
  7. James 2:18 NU omits my
  8. James 2:20 NU useless
  9. James 2:22 complete
  10. James 2:23 credited