James 2
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1My brothers, do not let your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus, the Messiah, be tainted by favoritism. 1My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory.
2Suppose a man wearing gold rings and fine clothes comes into your assembly, and a poor man in dirty clothes also comes in. 2For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in,
3If you give special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, "Please take this seat," but you say to the poor man, "Stand over there" or "Sit on the floor at my feet,"3and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,”
4then you will have made false distinctions among yourselves and will have judged from evil motives, will you not?4have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
5Listen, my dear brothers! God has chosen the poor in the world to become rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he promised to those who keep on loving him, has he not? 5Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him?
6But you have humiliated the man who is poor. Are not rich people the ones who oppress you and drag you into court? 6But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court?
7Are not they the ones who blaspheme the noble Name by which you have been called?7Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called?
8Nevertheless, you are doing the right thing if you obey the royal Law in keeping with the Scripture, "You must love your neighbor as yourself."8If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.
9But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and will be convicted by the Law as violators. 9But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
10For whoever keeps the whole Law but fails in one point is guilty of breaking all of it. 10For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.
11For the one who said, "Never commit adultery," also said, "Never murder." Now if you do not commit adultery, but you murder, you become a violator of the Law. 11For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.
12You must make it your habit to speak and act like people who are going to be judged by the law of liberty. 12So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty.
13For the one who has shown no mercy will be judged without mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.13For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
14What good does it do, my brothers, if someone claims to have faith but does not prove it with actions? This kind of faith cannot save him, can it? 14What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?
15Suppose a brother or sister does not have any clothes or daily food 15If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food,
16and one of you tells them, "Go in peace! Stay warm and eat heartily." If you do not provide for their bodily needs, what good does it do? 16and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?
17In the same way, faith by itself, if it does not prove itself with actions, is dead.17So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
18But someone may say, "You have faith, and I have actions." Show me your faith without any actions, and I will show you my faith by my actions. 18But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
19You believe that there is one God. That's fine! Even the demons believe that and tremble with fear. 19You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!
20Do you want proof, you foolish person, that faith without actions is worthless? 20Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?
21Our ancestor Abraham was justified by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar, wasn't he? 21Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar?
22You see that his faith worked together with what he did, and by his actions his faith was made complete. 22You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works;
23And so the Scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." And so he was called God's friend. 23and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God.
24You observe that a person is justified through actions and not through faith alone. 24You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.
25Likewise, Rahab the prostitute was justified through actions when she welcomed the messengers and sent them away on a different road, wasn't she? 25And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way?
26For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without actions is also dead.26For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.
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James 1
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