James 2 Parallel Bible Translations

James 2 ▼
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1 My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ of glory 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 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, 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 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: 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 Do you not judge within yourselves, and are become judges of unjust thoughts? 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 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? 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 you have dishonoured the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you by might? and do not they draw you before the judgment seats? 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 the good name that is invoked upon you? 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 then you fulfil the royal law, according to the scriptures, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself; you 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 if you have respect to persons, you commit sin, being reproved by the law as transgressors. 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 And whosoever shall keep the whole law, but offend in one point, is become guilty 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 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. 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 speak ye, and so do, as being to be judged by the law of liberty. 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 judgment without mercy to him that hath not done mercy. And mercy exalteth itself above judgment. 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 shall it profit, my brethren, if a man say he hath faith, but hath not works? Shall faith be able to save him? 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 And if a brother or sister be naked, and want daily food: 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 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? 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 So faith also, if it have not works, is dead in itself. 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 will say: Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without works; and I will shew thee, by works, my faith. 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 Thou believest that there is one God. Thou dost well: the devils also believe 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 wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works 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 justified by works, offering up Isaac his son upon the altar? 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, that faith did co-operate with his works; and by works faith was 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 fulfilled, saying: Abraham believed God, and it was reputed to him to justice, and he was called the friend 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 Do you see that by works a man is justified; and not by faith 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 And in like manner also Rahab the harlot, was not she justified by works, receiving the messengers, and sending 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 even as the body without the spirit is dead; so also faith without works is dead. 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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