James 2 Parallel Bible Translations

James 2
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BISHOPS
Bishops' Bible of 1568
ESV
English Standard Version
NIV
New International Version
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1 My brethren, haue not the fayth of our Lorde Iesus Christe, the Lord of glorie, with respect of persons. My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism.
2 For yf there come into your companie a man wearing a golde ryng, clothed in goodly apparell, and there come in also a poore man in vile rayment: For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in.
3 And ye haue a respect to hym that weareth the gay clothyng, and say vnto hym, sitte thou here in a good place: & say vnto the poore, stande thou there, or sitte here vnder my footestoole: and 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,” If 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,”
4 Are ye not partiall in your selues, and are made iudges of euyll thoughtes? have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
5 Hearken my deare beloued brethren. Hath not God chosen the poore of this worlde, such as are riche in fayth, and heyres of the kyngdome, which he promised to them that loue hym? Listen, 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? Listen, 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?
6 But ye haue despised the poore. Do not riche men oppresse you by tirannie, and drawe you before the iudgementes seates? But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court? But 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?
7 Do not they blaspheme that good name by the which you are named? Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called? Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong?
8 If ye fulfyll the royal lawe, according to the scripture, thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe, ye do well: If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right.
9 But yf ye regarde one person more then another, ye commit sinne, and are rebuked of the lawe, as transgressours. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.
10 Whosoeuer shal kepe the whole lawe, and yet fayle in one poynt, he is gyltie of all. For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it. For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.
11 For he that sayde, thou shalt not commit adulterie: sayde also, thou shalt not kyll. Though thou do none adulterie, yet yf thou kyll, thou art become a transgressour of the lawe. For 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. For 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.
12 So speake ye, and so do, as they that shalbe iudged by the lawe of libertie. So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom,
13 For he shall haue iudgement without mercie, that sheweth no mercie: And mercie reioyceth agaynst iudgement. For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
14 What profiteth it my brethren, though a man say he hath fayth, and hath not deedes? Can fayth saue hym? What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?
15 If a brother or a sister be naked, and destitute of dayly foode, If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food.
16 And one of you say vnto them, depart in peace, be you warmed and fylled: notwithstandyng, ye geue them not those thinges which are nedefull to, the body, what shall it profite? and 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? If 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?
17 Euen so, fayth, yf it haue not deedes, is dead in it selfe: So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
18 But some man wyll say, thou hast fayth and I haue deedes: shewe me thy fayth by thy deedes, and I wyll shewe thee my faith by my deedes. But 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. But 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.
19 Beleuest thou that there is one God? Thou doest well. The deuyls also beleue, and tremble. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
20 But wylt thou knowe, O thou vayne man, that that fayth which is without workes, is dead? Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?
21 Was not Abraham our father iustified through workes, when he had offered Isaac his sonne vpon the aulter? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?
22 Seest thou not, howe ye faith wrought with his deedes, and through ye deedes was the fayth made perfect? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.
23 And the scripture was fulfylled, which sayth: Abraham beleued God, and it was reputed vnto hym for ryghteousnesse: And he was called the friende of God. and 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. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend.
24 Ye see then, howe that of deedes a man is iustified, and not of fayth only. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.
25 Lykewyse also, was not Rahab the harlot iustified through workes, when she had receaued the messengers, and had sent them out another way? And 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? In 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?
26 For as the body without the spirite is dead: euen so, fayth without workes, is dead also For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead. As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
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