The General Epistle of James

⭑ Geneva Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 2 -

My brethren, haue not the faith of our glorious Lord Iesus Christ in respect of persons.

For if there come into your company a man with a golde ring, and in goodly apparell, and there come in also a poore man in vile raiment,

And ye haue a respect to him that weareth the gaie clothing; and say vnto him, Sit thou here in a goodly place, and say vnto the poore, Stand thou there, or sit here vnder my footestoole,

Are yee not partiall in your selues, and are become iudges of euill thoughts?

Hearken my beloued brethren, hath not God chosen the poore of this worlde, that they should be rich in faith, and heires of the kingdome which he promised to them that loue him?

But ye haue despised the poore. Doe not the riche oppresse you by tyrannie, and doe not they drawe you before the iudgement seates?

Doe nor they blaspheme the worthie Name after which yee be named?

But if yee fulfill the royall Lawe according to the Scripture, which saith, Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe, yee doe well.

But if yee regarde the persons, yee commit sinne, and are rebuked of the Lawe, as transgressours.

For whosoeuer shall keepe the whole Lawe, and yet faileth in one poynt, hee is guiltie of all.

For he that saide, Thou shalt not commit adulterie, saide also, Thou shalt not kill. Nowe though thou doest none adulterie, yet if thou killest, thou art a transgressour of the Lawe.

So speake ye, and so doe, as they that shall be iudged by the Lawe of libertie.

For there shalbe condemnation merciles to him that sheweth not mercie, and mercie reioyceth against condemnation.

Faith and Works

(Galatians 3:1–9)

What auaileth it, my brethren, though a man saith he hath faith, when he hath no workes? can that faith saue him?

For if a brother or a sister bee naked and destitute of daily foode,

And one of you say vnto them, Depart in peace: warme your selues, and fil your bellies, notwithstading ye giue them not those things which are needefull to the body, what helpeth it?

Euen so the faith, if it haue no woorkes, is dead in it selfe.

But some man might say, Thou hast the faith, and I haue woorkes: shewe me thy faith out of thy woorkes, and I will shewe thee my faith by my woorkes.

Thou beleeuest that there is one God: thou doest well: the deuils also beleeue it, and tremble.

But wilt thou vnderstand, O thou vaine man, that the faith which is without workes, is dead?

Was not Abraham our father iustified through workes, when he offred Isaac his sonne vpon the altar?

Seest thou not that the faith wrought with his workes? and through the workes was the faith made perfect.

And the Scripture was fulfilled which sayeth, Abraham beleeued God, and it was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse: and hee was called the friende of God.

Ye see then howe that of workes a man is iustified, and not of faith onely.

Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot iustified through workes, when she had receiued ye messengers, and sent them out another way?

For as the body without ye spirit is dead, euen so the faith without workes is dead.

My brothers, don’t hold the faith of our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with partiality.

For if a man with a gold ring, in fine clothing, comes into your synagogue,(a) and a poor man in filthy clothing also comes in,

and you pay special attention to him who wears the fine clothing and say, “Sit here in a good place;” and you tell the poor man, “Stand there,” or “Sit by my footstool”

haven’t you shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?

Listen, my beloved brothers. Didn’t God choose those who are poor in this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom which he promised to those who love him?

But you have dishonored the poor man. Don’t the rich oppress you and personally drag you before the courts?

Don’t they blaspheme the honorable name by which you are called?

However, if you fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,”(b) you do well.

But if you show partiality, you commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors.

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

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

So speak and so do as men who are to be judged by the law of freedom.

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

Faith and Works

(Galatians 3:1–9)

What good is it, my brothers, if a man says he has faith, but has no works? Can faith save him?

And if a brother or sister is naked and in lack of daily food,

and one of you tells them, “Go in peace. Be warmed and filled;” yet you didn’t give them the things the body needs, what good is it?

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

Yes, a man will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

You believe that God is one. You do well. The demons also believe—and shudder.

But do you want to know, vain man, that faith apart from works is dead?

Wasn’t Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?

You see that faith worked with his works, and by works faith was perfected.

So the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him as righteousness,”(e) and he was called the friend of God.

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

In the same way, wasn’t Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?

For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, even so faith apart from works is dead.

Footnotes

(a)2:2 or, meeting

(b)2:8 ℘ Leviticus 19:18

(d)2:11 ℘ Exodus 20:13; Deuteronomy 5:17

(e)2:23 ℘ Genesis 15:6