James 2

¹My brethren, hold not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.

¹My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.

²For if there come into your synagogue a man with a gold ring, in fine clothing, and there come in also a poor man in vile clothing; ³and 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; ⁴do ye not make distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?

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; 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?

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 dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you, and themselves drag you before the judgment-seats?

⁶But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?

⁷Do not they blaspheme the honorable name by which ye are called?

⁸Howbeit if ye fulfil the royal law, according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well:

⁷Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?

⁸If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:

⁹but if ye have respect of persons, ye commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors.

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 stumble in one point, he is become guilty of all.

¹⁰For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

¹¹For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou dost not commit adultery, but killest, thou art become a transgressor of the law.

¹¹For 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 men that are to be judged by a law of liberty.

¹²So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.

¹³For judgment is without mercy to him that hath showed no mercy: mercy glorieth against judgment.

¹³For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.

¹⁴What doth it profit, my brethren, if a man say he hath faith, but have not works? can that faith save him?

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 in lack of daily food, ¹⁶and one of you say unto them, Go in peace, be ye warmed and filled; and yet ye give them not the things needful to the body; what doth it profit?

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 have not works, is dead in itself.

¹⁷Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

¹⁸Yea, a man will say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith apart from thy works, and I by my works will show thee my faith.

¹⁸Yea, 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.

¹⁹Thou believest that God is one; thou doest well: the demons also believe, and shudder.

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 apart from works is barren?

²⁰But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

²¹Was not Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son upon the altar?

²¹Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?

²²Thou seest that faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect;

²²Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?

²³and the scripture was fulfilled which saith, And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness; and he was called the friend of God.

²³And 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 that by works a man is justified, and not only by faith.

²⁴Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

²⁵And in like manner was not also Rahab the harlot justified by works, in that she received the messengers, and sent them out another way?

²⁵Likewise 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 apart from the spirit is dead, even so faith apart from works is dead.

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