James 2 NIV NLT Parallel

◄ James 2 ►

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New International Version

New Living Translation

1My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism.

1My dear brothers and sisters, how can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people over others?

2Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in.

2For example, suppose someone comes into your meeting dressed in fancy clothes and expensive jewelry, and another comes in who is poor and dressed in dirty clothes.

3If 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,"

3If you give special attention and a good seat to the rich person, but you say to the poor one, “You can stand over there, or else sit on the floor”—well,

4have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

4doesn’t this discrimination show that your judgments are guided by evil motives?

5Listen, 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?

5Listen to me, dear brothers and sisters. Hasn’t God chosen the poor in this world to be rich in faith? Aren’t they the ones who will inherit the Kingdom he promised to those who love him?

6But 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?

6But you dishonor the poor! Isn’t it the rich who oppress you and drag you into court?

7Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong?

7Aren’t they the ones who slander Jesus Christ, whose noble name you bear?

8If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing right.

8Yes indeed, it is good when you obey the royal law as found in the Scriptures: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

9But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.

9But if you favor some people over others, you are committing a sin. You are guilty of breaking the law.

10For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.

10For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God’s laws.

11For 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.

11For the same God who said, “You must not commit adultery,” also said, “You must not murder.” So if you murder someone but do not commit adultery, you have still broken the law.

12Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom,

12So whatever you say or whatever you do, remember that you will be judged by the law that sets you free.

13because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

13There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you. Faith without Good Deeds Is Dead

14What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?

14What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone?

15Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food.

15Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing,

16If 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?

16and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?

17In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

17So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.

18But 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.

18Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.”

19You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that--and shudder.

19You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror.

20You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?

20How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless?

21Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?

21Don’t you remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?

22You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.

22You see, his faith and his actions worked together. His actions made his faith complete.

23And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God's friend.

23And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” He was even called the friend of God.

24You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.

24So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone.

25In 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?

25Rahab the prostitute is another example. She was shown to be right with God by her actions when she hid those messengers and sent them safely away by a different road.

26As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

26Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works.

New International Version (NIV)

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