James 2
CSB Parallel NIV [BSB CSB ESV HCS KJV ISV NAS NET NIV NLT GRK]
Christian Standard BibleNew International Version
1My brothers and sisters, do not show favoritism as you hold on to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ.1My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism.
2For if someone comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and a poor person dressed in filthy clothes also comes in,2Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in.
3if you look with favor on the one wearing the fine clothes and say, "Sit here in a good place," and yet you say to the poor person, "Stand over there," or "Sit here on the floor by my footstool,"3If 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,"
4haven't you made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?4have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
5Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Didn't God choose the poor in this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him?5Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?
6Yet you have dishonored the poor. Don't the rich oppress you and drag you into court?6But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court?
7Don't they blaspheme the good name that was invoked over you?7Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong?
8Indeed, if you fulfill the royal law prescribed in the Scripture, Love your neighbor as yourself, you are doing well.8If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing right.
9If, however, you show favoritism, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.9But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.
10For whoever keeps the entire law, and yet stumbles at one point, is guilty of breaking it all.10For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.
11For he who said, Do not commit adultery, also said, Do not murder. So if you do not commit adultery, but you murder, you are a lawbreaker.11For he who said, "You shall not commit adultery," also said, "You shall not murder." If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.
12Speak and act as those who are to be judged by the law of freedom.12Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom,
13For judgment is without mercy to the one who has not shown mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.13because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
14What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? Can such faith save him?14What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?
15If a brother or sister is without clothes and lacks daily food15Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food.
16and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, stay warm, and be well fed," but you don't give them what the body needs, what good is it?16If 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?
17In the same way faith, if it doesn't have works, is dead by itself.17In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
18But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without works, and I will show you faith by my works.18But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.
19You believe that God is one. Good! Even the demons believe--and they shudder.19You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that--and shudder.
20Senseless person! Are you willing to learn that faith without works is useless?20You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?
21Wasn't Abraham our father justified by works in offering Isaac his son on the altar?21Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?
22You see that faith was active together with his works, and by works, faith was made complete,22You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.
23and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness, and he was called God's friend.23And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God's friend.
24You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.24You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.
25In the same way, wasn't Rahab the prostitute also justified by works in receiving the messengers and sending them out by a different route?25In 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?
26For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.26As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

James 1
Top of Page
Top of Page