James 2
2
Don’t Favor Rich People over Poor People
1My brothers and sisters, practice your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ by not favoring one person over another. 2For example, two men come to your worship service. One man is wearing gold rings and fine clothes; the other man, who is poor, is wearing shabby clothes. 3Suppose you give special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say to him, “Please have a seat.” But you say to the poor man, “Stand over there,” or “Sit on the floor at my feet.” 4Aren’t you discriminating against people and using a corrupt standard to make judgments?
5Listen, my dear brothers and sisters! Didn’t God choose poor people in the world to become rich in faith and to receive the kingdom that he promised to those who love him? 6Yet, you show no respect to poor people. Don’t rich people oppress you and drag you into court? 7Don’t they curse the good name ⌞of Jesus⌟, the name that was used to bless you?
8You are doing right if you obey this law from the highest authority: “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.” 9If you favor one person over another, you’re sinning, and this law convicts you of being disobedient. 10If someone obeys all of God’s laws except one, that person is guilty of breaking all of them. 11After all, the one who said, “Never commit adultery,” is the same one who said, “Never murder.” If you do not commit adultery but you murder, you become a person who disobeys God’s laws.
12Talk and act as people who are going to be judged by laws that bring freedom. 13No mercy will be shown to those who show no mercy to others. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
We Show Our Faith by What We Do
14My brothers and sisters, what good does it do if someone claims to have faith but doesn’t do any good things? Can this kind of faith save him? 15Suppose a believer, whether a man or a woman, needs clothes or food 16and one of you tells that person, “God be with you! Stay warm, and make sure you eat enough.” If you don’t provide for that person’s physical needs, what good does it do? 17In the same way, faith by itself is dead if it doesn’t cause you to do any good things.
18Another person might say, “You have faith, but I do good things.” Show me your faith apart from the good things you do. I will show you my faith by the good things I do. 19You believe that there is one God. That’s fine! The demons also believe that, and they tremble with fear.
20You fool! Do you have to be shown that faith which does nothing is useless? 21Didn’t our ancestor Abraham receive God’s approval as a result of what he did when he offered his son Isaac as a sacrifice on the altar? 22You see that Abraham’s faith and what he did worked together. His faith was shown to be genuine by what he did. 23The Scripture passage came true. It says, “Abraham believed God, and that faith was regarded as the basis of Abraham’s approval by God.” So Abraham was called God’s friend. 24You see that a person receives God’s approval because of what he does, not only because of what he believes. 25The same is true of the prostitute Rahab who welcomed the spies and sent them away on another road. She received God’s approval because of what she did.
26A body that doesn’t breathe #2:26 Or “A body without a spirit.” is dead. In the same way faith that does nothing is dead.
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James 2: GW
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GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
St James 2
2
1My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ of glory with respect of persons.
2For if there shall come into your assembly a man having a golden ring, in fine apparel, and there shall come in also a poor man in mean attire,
3And you have respect to him that is clothed with the fine apparel, and shall say to him: Sit thou here well; but say to the poor man: Stand thou there, or sit under my footstool:
4Do you not judge within yourselves, and are become judges of unjust thoughts?
5Hearken, my dearest brethren: hath not God chosen the poor in this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which God hath promised to them that love him?
6But you have dishonoured the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you by might? and do not they draw you before the judgment seats?
7Do not they blaspheme the good name that is invoked upon you?
8If then you fulfil the royal law, according to the scriptures, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself; you do well.
9But if you have respect to persons, you commit sin, being reproved by the law as transgressors.
10And whosoever shall keep the whole law, but offend in one point, is become guilty of all.
11For he that said, Thou shalt not commit adultery, said also, Thou shalt not kill. Now if thou do not commit adultery, but shalt kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.
12So speak ye, and so do, as being to be judged by the law of liberty.
13For judgment without mercy to him that hath not done mercy. And mercy exalteth itself above judgment.
14What shall it profit, my brethren, if a man say he hath faith, but hath not works? Shall faith be able to save him?
15And if a brother or sister be naked, and want daily food:
16And one of you say to them: Go in peace, be ye warmed and filled; yet give them not those things that are necessary for the body, what shall it profit?
17So faith also, if it have not works, is dead in itself.
18But some man will say: Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without works; and I will shew thee, by works, my faith.
19Thou believest that there is one God. Thou dost well: the devils also believe and tremble.
20But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
21Was not Abraham our father justified by works, offering up Isaac his son upon the altar?
22Seest thou, that faith did co-operate with his works; and by works faith was made perfect?
23And the scripture was fulfilled, saying: Abraham believed God, and it was reputed to him to justice, and he was called the friend of God.
24Do you see that by works a man is justified; and not by faith only?
25And in like manner also Rahab the harlot, was not she justified by works, receiving the messengers, and sending them out another way?
26For even as the body without the spirit is dead; so also faith without works is dead.
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An historical text maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.