James 2 Parallel Bible Translations

James 2 ▼
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1 MY brethren, do not, with hypocrisy, uphold the glorious faith of our LORD Jesus Christ. 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 should enter into your synagogue a man with gold rings and costly garments, and there should also enter a poor man in soiled clothing; 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 should attend to the one who wears the beautiful clothing, and say to him, Sit here in a good place; and say to the poor man, Stand up there, or sit here before our 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 Are you not then showing partiality, and thereby give preference to evil 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 Hear this, my beloved brethren, Has not God chosen the poor of the world who are rich in faith, to be heirs of the kingdom which God has promised to those who 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 despised the poor. Do not rich men exalt themselves over you and drag you before the judgment seat? 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 against that good name by which you are called? 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 you fulfil the law of God by this, as it is written, Thou shalt love thy neighbor 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 discriminate among men, you commit sin and you will be condemned by the law as transgressors of the law. 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 For whoever shall keep the whole law, except that he fail in but one statute, he is guilty as to the whole law. 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 who said, Thou shalt not commit adultery, said also, Thou shalt not kill. Now if you do not commit adultery, but you kill, you have 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 and so act, as men who are 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 a judgment without mercy will be on him, who does not show mercy; for you exalt yourselves by having mercy over 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 Though a man say he has faith, what profit is it, my brethren, if he does not have works? Can faith 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 If a brother or sister be naked, and lacking of 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, Depart in peace, be warmed, and be filled; yet you do not give to them those things which are needed for the body, what does 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 Even so faith, without works, is dead, by 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 For a man may say, You have faith, and I have works: show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 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 You believe that there is one God; you do well. The devils also believe, and they 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 Would you know, O weak 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 our father Abraham justified by works, when he raised 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 You can see, how his faith helped his works, and how by works his 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 which said, Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness: 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 You see then, how a man by works becomes righteous, 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 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot, justified by works, when she welcomed the spies, and 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 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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