James 2
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1My brothers, do not let your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus, the Messiah, be tainted by favoritism. 1My brothers, as you hold out your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, do not show favoritism.
2Suppose a man wearing gold rings and fine clothes comes into your assembly, and a poor man in dirty clothes also comes in. 2Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in.
3If you give special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, "Please take this seat," but you say to the poor man, "Stand over there" or "Sit on the floor at my feet,"3If you lavish attention on the man in fine clothes and say, “Here is a seat of honor,” but say to the poor man, “You must stand” or “Sit at my feet,”
4then you will have made false distinctions among yourselves and will have judged from evil motives, will you not?4have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
5Listen, my dear brothers! God has chosen the poor in the world to become rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he promised to those who keep on loving him, has he not? 5Listen, my beloved brothers: Has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom He promised those who love Him?
6But you have humiliated the man who is poor. Are not rich people the ones who oppress you and drag you into court? 6But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you and drag you into court?
7Are not they the ones who blaspheme the noble Name by which you have been called?7Are they not the ones who blaspheme the noble name by which you have been called?
8Nevertheless, you are doing the right thing if you obey the royal Law in keeping with the Scripture, "You must love your neighbor as yourself."8If you really fulfill the royal law stated in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.
9But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and will be convicted by the Law as violators. 9But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
10For whoever keeps the whole Law but fails in one point is guilty of breaking all of it. 10Whoever keeps the whole law but stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.
11For the one who said, "Never commit adultery," also said, "Never murder." Now if you do not commit adultery, but you murder, you become a violator of the Law. 11For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.
12You must make it your habit to speak and act like people who are going to be judged by the law of liberty. 12Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom.
13For the one who has shown no mercy will be judged without mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.13For judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
14What good does it do, my brothers, if someone claims to have faith but does not prove it with actions? This kind of faith cannot save him, can it? 14What good is it, my brothers, if someone claims to have faith, but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?
15Suppose a brother or sister does not have any clothes or daily food 15Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.
16and one of you tells them, "Go in peace! Stay warm and eat heartily." If you do not provide for their bodily needs, what good does it do? 16If one of you tells him, “Go in peace; stay warm and well fed,” but does not provide for his physical needs, what good is that?
17In the same way, faith by itself, if it does not prove itself with actions, is dead.17So too, faith by itself, if it does not result in action, is dead.
18But someone may say, "You have faith, and I have actions." Show me your faith without any actions, and I will show you my faith by my actions. 18But someone will say, “You have faith and I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.
19You believe that there is one God. That's fine! Even the demons believe that and tremble with fear. 19You believe that God is one. Good for you! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
20Do you want proof, you foolish person, that faith without actions is worthless? 20O foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is worthless?
21Our ancestor Abraham was justified by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar, wasn't he? 21Was not our father Abraham justified by what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?
22You see that his faith worked together with what he did, and by his actions his faith was made complete. 22You see that his faith was working with his actions, and his faith was perfected by what he did.
23And so the Scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." And so he was called God's friend. 23And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called a friend of God.
24You observe that a person is justified through actions and not through faith alone. 24As you can see, a man is justified by his deeds and not by faith alone.
25Likewise, Rahab the prostitute was justified through actions when she welcomed the messengers and sent them away on a different road, wasn't she? 25In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute justified by her actions when she welcomed the spies and sent them off on another route?
26For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without actions is also dead.26As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
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James 1
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