James 2:1-17 ▼

1 My brethren, haue not the fayth of our Lorde Iesus Christe, the Lord of glorie, with respect of persons.

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:

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:

4 Are ye not partiall in your selues, and are made iudges of euyll thoughtes?

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?

6 But ye haue despised the poore. Do not riche men oppresse you by tirannie, and drawe you before the iudgementes seates?

7 Do not they blaspheme that good name by the which you are named?

8 If ye fulfyll the royal lawe, according to the scripture, thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe, ye do well:

9 But yf ye regarde one person more then another, ye commit sinne, and are rebuked of the lawe, as transgressours.

10 Whosoeuer shal kepe the whole lawe, and yet fayle in one poynt, he is gyltie of all.

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.

12 So speake ye, and so do, as they that shalbe iudged by the lawe of libertie.

13 For he shall haue iudgement without mercie, that sheweth no mercie: And mercie reioyceth agaynst iudgement.

14 What profiteth it my brethren, though a man say he hath fayth, and hath not deedes? Can fayth saue hym?

15 If a brother or a sister be naked, and destitute of dayly foode,

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?

17 Euen so, fayth, yf it haue not deedes, is dead in it selfe: