The General Epistle of James

⭑ Literal Standard Version :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 2 -

My brothers, do not hold the faith of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ in favor by appearance,

for if there may come into your synagogue a man with gold ring, in radiant clothing, and there may also come in a poor man in vile clothing,

and you may look on him bearing the radiant clothing, and may say to him, “You—sit here well,” and may say to the poor man, “You—stand there,” or, “Sit here under my footstool,”

you did not judge fully in yourselves, and became ill-reasoning judges.

Listen, my beloved brothers, did God not choose the poor of this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom that He promised to those loving Him?

But you dishonored the poor one. Do the rich not oppress you and themselves draw you to judgment-seats?

Do they not themselves speak evil of the good Name having been called on you?

If, indeed, you fulfill royal law, according to the Writing: “You will love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well;

but if you favor by appearance, you work sin, being convicted by the Law as transgressors;

for whoever will keep the whole Law, but will stumble in one [point], he has become guilty of all;

for He who is saying, “You may not commit adultery,” also said, “You may not murder”; but if you will not commit adultery, but will commit murder, you have become a transgressor of law;

thus, speak and so act as [one] about to be judged by a law of liberty,

for the judgment without mercy [is] to him having not done mercy, and mercy exults over judgment.

Faith and Works

(Galatians 3:1–9)

What [is] the profit, my brothers, if anyone may speak of having faith, but he may not have works? Is that faith able to save him?

And if a brother or sister may be naked, and may be destitute of daily food,

and anyone of you may say to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed, and be filled,” but may not give to them the things necessary for the body, what [is] the profit?

So also faith, if it may not have works, is dead by itself.

But someone may say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without works, and I will show you my faith out of works.

You believe that God is one; you do well! The demons also believe—and shudder!

And do you wish to know, O vain man, that faith apart from works is dead?

Was not our father Abraham considered righteous out of works, having brought up his son Isaac on the altar?

Do you see that faith was working with his works, and faith was perfected out of the works?

And the Writing was fulfilled that is saying, “And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him for righteousness”; and, “Friend of God” he was called.

You see, then, that man is considered righteous out of works, and not out of faith only;

and in like manner also Rahab the prostitute—was she not considered righteous out of works, having received the messengers, and having sent [them] forth by another way?

For as the body apart from [the] spirit is dead, so also the faith apart from works 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