The Letter of James, 2

¹ My brothers, YOU are not holding the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, our glory, with acts of favoritism, are YOU?^*1

² For, if a man with gold rings on his fingers and in splendid clothing enters into a gathering^*1 of YOU, but a poor [man] in filthy clothing also enters,

³ yet YOU look with favor upon the one wearing the splendid clothing and say: “You take this seat here in a fine place,” and YOU say to the poor one: “You keep standing,” or: “Take that seat there under my footstool,”

⁴ YOU have class distinctions among yourselves and YOU have become judges rendering wicked decisions, is that not so?

⁵ Listen, my beloved brothers. God chose the ones who are poor respecting the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he promised to those who love him, did he not?

⁶ YOU, though, have dishonored the poor [man]. The rich oppress YOU, and they drag YOU before law courts,^*1 do they not?

⁷ They blaspheme the fine name by which YOU were called, do they not?

⁸ If, now, YOU practice carrying out the kingly law according to the scripture: “You must love your neighbor as yourself,” YOU are doing quite well.

⁹ But if YOU continue showing favoritism, YOU are working a sin, for YOU are reproved by the law as transgressors.

¹⁰ For whoever observes all the Law but makes a false step^*1 in one point, he has become an offender against them all.

¹¹ For he who said: “You must not commit adultery,” said also: “You must not murder.” If, now, you do not commit adultery but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of law.

¹² Keep on speaking in such a way and keep on doing in such a way as those do who are going to be judged by the law of a free people.^*1

¹³ For the one that does not practice mercy will have [his] judgment without mercy. Mercy exults triumphantly over^*1 judgment.

¹⁴ Of what benefit is it, my brothers, if a certain one says he has faith but he does not have works? That faith cannot save him, can it?

¹⁵ If a brother or a sister is in a naked state and lacking the food sufficient for the day,

¹⁶ yet a certain one of YOU says to them: “Go in peace, keep warm and well fed,” but YOU do not give them the necessities for [their] body, of what benefit is it?

¹⁷ Thus, too, faith, if it does not have works, is dead in itself.

¹⁸ Nevertheless, a certain one will say: “You have faith, and I have works. Show me your faith apart from the works, and I shall show you my faith by my works.”

¹⁹ You believe there is one God, do you? You are doing quite well. And yet the demons believe and shudder.^*1

²⁰ But do you care to know, O empty man, that faith apart from works is inactive?

²¹ Was not Abraham our father declared righteous by works after he had offered up Isaac his son upon the altar?

²² You behold that [his] faith worked along with his works and by [his] works [his] faith was perfected,

²³ and the scripture was fulfilled which says: “Abraham put faith in Jehovah,^*1 and it was counted to him as righteousness,” and he came to be called “Jehovah’s^*2 friend.”

²⁴ YOU see that a man is to be declared righteous by works, and not by faith alone.

²⁵ In the same manner was not also Raʹhab the harlot declared righteous by works, after she had received the messengers hospitably and sent them out by another way?

²⁶ Indeed, as the body without spirit^*1 is dead, so also faith without works is dead.