James (Jacob) 2
2
The Royal Law of Love Excludes Prejudice
1My dear brothers and sisters, fellow believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ—how could we say that we have faith in him and yet we favor one group of people above another? # 2:1 The Aramaic can be translated “Don’t be taken in by the face mask of people, but hold to the faith in the glory of our Lord Jesus the Messiah.” 2Suppose an influential man comes into your worship meeting wearing gold rings and expensive clothing, and also a homeless man in shabby clothes comes in. 3If you show special attention to the rich man in expensive clothes and say, “Here’s a seat of honor for you right up front!” but you turn and say to the poor beggar dressed in rags, “You can stand over here,” or “Sit over there on the floor in the back,” # 2:3 The Aramaic can be translated “Sit on the floor before our footstool.” 4then you’ve demonstrated gross prejudice among yourselves and used evil standards of judgment!
5So listen carefully, my dear brothers and sisters, hasn’t God chosen # 2:5 The Greek word for “chosen” is eklegomai, which is a form of lego (speak). the poor in the world’s eyes to be those who are rich in faith? # 2:5 See 1 Cor. 1:27–28. And won’t they be the heirs of the kingdom-realm he promised to those who love him? 6But yet you insult and shun the poor in your efforts to impress the rich! # 2:6 See also 1 Cor. 11:22. Isn’t it the wealthy who exploit you and drag you into court? 7Aren’t they the very ones who blaspheme the beautiful name of the One you now belong to? # 2:7 Or “the worthy name which was invoked over you (at your baptism).”
8Your calling is to fulfill the royal law of love # 2:8 It is a royal law because it is given by our King, but since he has made us kings and priests, it becomes the royal law of love given to his royal sons and daughters who are heirs with him. as given to us in this Scripture: “You must love and value your neighbor as you love and value yourself!” # 2:8 See Lev. 19:18; Matt. 19:19; 22:39; Mark 12:31; Luke 10:27; Rom. 13:9; Gal. 5:14.
For keeping this law is the noble way to live. 9But when you show prejudice you commit sin and you violate this royal law of love!
10For the one who attempts to keep all of the law of Moses but fails in just one point has become guilty of breaking the law in every respect! 11For the same One who tells us, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” # 2:11 See Ex. 20:13–14. Now if you don’t commit adultery but do commit murder, you are still guilty as a law-breaker. 12So we must both speak and act in every respect like those who are destined to be tried by the perfect law of liberty, 13and remember that judgment is merciless for the one who judges others without mercy. So by showing mercy, you take dominion over judgment! # 2:13 As translated from the Aramaic. The Greek is “Mercy triumphs over judgment.”
Faith Works
14My dear brothers and sisters, what good is it if someone claims to have faith but demonstrates no good works to prove it? How could this kind of faith save anyone? 15For example, if a brother or sister in the faith is poorly clothed and hungry 16and you leave them saying, “Good-bye. I hope you stay warm and have plenty to eat,” but you don’t provide them with a coat or even a cup of soup, what good is your faith? 17So then faith that doesn’t involve action is phony. # 2:17 Or “dead (fruitless).” See also v. 20.
18But someone might object and say, “One person has faith and another person has works.” # 2:18 Many scholars conclude that the ambiguity of the Greek text makes this the most difficult verse in all of James and perhaps in all of the New Testament to translate. Go ahead then and prove to me that you have faith without works and I will show you faith by my works as proof that I believe. 19You can believe all you want that there is one true God, # 2:19 Or “that God is one,” which is the Jewish Shema (see Deut. 6:4). that’s wonderful! But even the demons know this and tremble with fear before him, # 2:19 The Aramaic can be translated “they writhe on their bellies in the dirt!” yet they’re unchanged—they remain demons.
20O feeble sons of Adam, # 2:20 As translated from the Aramaic. The Greek is “O empty man.” do you need further evidence that faith divorced from good works is phony? 21Wasn’t our ancestor Abraham found righteous before God because of his works when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22Can’t you see how his action cooperated with his faith and by his action faith found its full expression? 23So in this way the Scripture was fulfilled:
Because Abraham believed God, his faith was exchanged for God’s righteousness. # 2:23 Or “Abraham’s faith was credited to his account for righteousness.” See Gen. 15:6.
So he became known as the lover of God! # 2:23 Or “the one whom God loved,” as translated from the Aramaic. Although the Greek text is most often translated “friend of God,” the Greek word philos can also be used as the love that bonds friends together. See also 2 Chron. 20:7; Isa. 41:18; Dan. 3:35 (LXX). 24So now it’s clear that a person is seen as righteous in God’s eyes not merely by faith alone, but by his works.
25And the same is true of the prostitute named Rahab who was found righteous in God’s eyes by her works, for she received the spies into her home and helped them escape from the city by another route. # 2:25 See Josh. 2. 26For just as a human body without the spirit is a dead corpse, so faith without the expression of good works is dead!
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James (Jacob) 2: TPT
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Learn More About The Passion TranslationJames 2
2
Warning against Partiality
1My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. 2For 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; 3and 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: 4are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts? 5Hearken, 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? 6But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats? 7Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?
8 #
Lev 19.18. If ye fulfil the royal law according to the Scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well: 9but if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. 10For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. 11#Exod 20.14; Deut 5.18; Exod 20.13; Deut 5.17. 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. 12So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. 13For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath showed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.
Faith without Works Is Dead
14What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? 15If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, 16and 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? 17Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
18Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works. 19Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. 20But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? 21#Gen 22.1-14. Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? 22Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? 23#Gen 15.6; 2 Chr 20.7; Isa 41.8. 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. 24Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. 25#Josh 2.1-21. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? 26For as the body without the spirit#2.26 Or, breath. is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
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King James Version 1611, spelling, punctuation and text formatting modernized by ABS in 1962; typesetting © 2010 American Bible Society.