James, 2

1. My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, [the Lord] of glory, with respect of persons.

1. My brothers and sisters, if you truly believe in our glorified Lord, Jesus Christ, you will not discriminate between persons.

2. For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;

2. Suppose a person enters the synagogue where you are assembled, dressed magnificently and wearing a gold ring; at the same time, a poor person enters dressed in rags.

3. And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:

3. If you focus your attention on the well-dressed and say, "Come and sit in the best seat," while to the poor one you say, "Stay standing or else sit down at my feet,"

4. Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?

4. have you not, in fact, made a distinction between the two? Have you not judged, using a double standard?

5. Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?

5. Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters, did God not choose the poor of this world to receive the riches of faith and to inherit the kingdom which he has promised to those who love him?

6. But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?

6. Yet you despise them! Is it not the rich who are against you and drag you to court?

7. Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?

7. Do they not insult the holy name of Christ by which you are called?

8. If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:

8. If you keep the Law of the Kingdom, according to Scripture: Love your neighbor as yourself, you do well;

9. But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.

9. but if you make distinctions between persons, you break the law and are condemned by the same law.

10. For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one [point], he is guilty of all.

10. For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one aspect, is guilty of breaking it all.

11. For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.

11. For he who said, Do not commit adultery, also said, Do not kill. If, then, you do not commit adultery but you do commit murder, you have broken the Law.

12. So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.

12. Therefore, speak and behave like people who are going to be judged by the law of freedom.

13. For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.

13. There will be justice without mercy for those who have not shown mercy, whereas mercy has nothing to fear of judgment.

14. What [doth it] profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?

14. What good is it, my brothers and sisters, to profess faith without showing works? Such faith has no power to save you.

15. If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,

15. If a brother or sister is in need of clothes or food

16. And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be [ye] warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what [doth it] profit?

16. and one of you says, "May things go well for you; be warm and satisfied," without attending to their material needs, what good is that?

17. Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

17. So it is for faith without deeds: it is totally dead.

18. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

18. Say to whoever challenges you, "You have faith and I have good deeds; show me your faith apart from actions and I, for my part, will show you my faith in the way I act."

19. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

19. Do you believe there is one God? Well enough, but do not forget that the demons also believe and tremble with fear!

20. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

20. You foolish one, do you have to be convinced that faith without deeds is useless?

21. Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?

21. Think of our father Abraham. Was he not justified by the act of offering his son Isaac on the altar?

22. Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?

22. So you see, his faith was active along with his deeds and became perfect by what he did.

23. And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

23. The word of Scripture was thus fulfilled, Abraham believed in God so he was considered a righteous person and he was called the friend of God.

24. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

24. So you see, a person is acknowledged by works and not by faith alone.

25. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent [them] out another way?

25. Likewise, we read of Rahab, the prostitute, that she was acknowledged and saved because she welcomed the spies and showed them another way to leave.

26. For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

26. So, just as the body is dead without its spirit, so faith without deeds is also dead.