New King James Version

New American Standard Bible

Beware of Personal Favoritism

My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality.

1

The Sin of Partiality

My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism.

2

For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in [a]fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in [b]filthy clothes,

2

For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man in dirty clothes,

3

and you [c]pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, “You sit here in a good place,” and say to the poor man, “You stand there,” or, “Sit here at my footstool,”

3

and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the fine clothes, and say, “You sit here in a good place,” and you say to the poor man, “You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool,”

4

have you not [d]shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?

4

have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives?

5

Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?

5

Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?

6

But you have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts?

6

But you have dishonored the poor man. Is it not the rich who oppress you and personally drag you into court?

7

Do they not blaspheme that noble name by which you are called?

7

Do they not blaspheme the fair name by which you have been called?

8

If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well;

8

If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF,” you are doing well.

9

but if you [e]show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors.

9

But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.

10

For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.

10

For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.

11

For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.

11

For He who said, “DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY,” also said, “DO NOT COMMIT MURDER.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.

12

So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty.

12

So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty.

13

For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

13

For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.

14

Faith Without Works Is Dead

What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?

14

Faith and Works

What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him?

15

If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food,

15

If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food,

16

and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?

16

and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that?

17

Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

17

Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.

18

But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without [f]your works, and I will show you my faith by [g]my works.

18

But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”

19

You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe — and tremble!

19

You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.

20

But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is [h]dead?

20

But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless?

21

Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?

21

Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?

22

Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made [i]perfect?

22

You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected;

23

And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was [j]accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God.

23

and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS,” and he was called the friend of God.

24

You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

24

You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone.

25

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

25

In the same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way?

26

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

26

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

Parallel

New King James Version

New American Standard Bible

James 2

James 2