James 2

Bible in Basic English (BBE)

1 Ref My brothers, if you have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ of glory, do not take a man's position into account.

2 Ref For if a man comes into your Synagogue in fair clothing and with a gold ring, and a poor man comes in with dirty clothing,

3 Ref And you do honour to the man in fair clothing and say, Come here and take this good place; and you say to the poor man, Take up your position there, or be seated at my feet;

4 Ref Is there not a division in your minds? have you not become judges with evil thoughts?

5 Ref Give ear, my dear brothers; are not those who are poor in the things of this world marked out by God to have faith as their wealth, and for their heritage the kingdom which he has said he will give to those who have love for him?

6 Ref But you have put the poor man to shame. Are not the men of wealth rulers over you? do they not take you by force before their judges?

7 Ref Do they not say evil of the holy name which was given to you?

8 Ref But if you keep the greatest law of all, as it is given in the holy Writings, Have love for your neighbour as for yourself, you do well:

9 Ref But if you take a man's position into account, you do evil, and are judged as evil-doers by the law.

10 Ref For anyone who keeps all the law, but makes a slip in one point, is judged to have gone against it all.

11 Ref For he who said, Do not be untrue in married life, is the same who said, Put no man to death. Now if you are not untrue in married life, but you put a man to death, the law is broken.

12 Ref Let your words and your acts be those of men who are to be judged by the law which makes free.

13 Ref For the man who has had no mercy will be judged without mercy, but mercy takes pride in overcoming judging.

14 Ref What use is it, my brothers, for a man to say that he has faith, if he does nothing? will such a faith give him salvation?

15 Ref If a brother or a sister is without clothing and in need of the day's food,

16 Ref And one of you says to them, Go in peace, be warm and full of food; but you do not give them the things of which their bodies have need, what profit is there in this?

17 Ref Even so faith without works is dead.

18 Ref But a man may say, You have faith and I have works; let me see your faith without your works, and I will make my faith clear to you by my works.

19 Ref You have the belief that God is one, and you do well: the evil spirits have the same belief, shaking with fear.

20 Ref Do you not see, O foolish man, that faith without works is of no use?

21 Ref Was not the righteousness of Abraham our father judged by his works, when he made an offering of Isaac his son on the altar?

22 Ref You see that his faith was helping his works and was made complete by them;

23 Ref And the holy Writings were put into effect which said, And Abraham had faith in God and it was put to his account as righteousness; and he was named the friend of God.

24 Ref You see that a man's righteousness is judged by his works and not by his faith only.

25 Ref And in the same way, was not the righteousness of Rahab, the loose woman, judged by her works, when she took into her house those who were sent and let them go out by another way?

26 Ref For as the body without the spirit is dead even so faith without works is dead.

American Standard-ASV1901 (ASV)

1 Ref My brethren, hold not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, `the Lord' of glory, with respect of persons.

2 Ref For if there come into your synagogue a man with a gold ring, in fine clothing, and there come in also a poor man in vile clothing;

3 Ref and ye have regard to him that weareth the fine clothing, and say, Sit thou here in a good place; and ye say to the poor man, Stand thou there, or sit under my footstool;

4 Ref Do ye not make distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?

5 Ref Hearken, my beloved brethren; did not God choose them that are poor as to the world `to be' rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to them that love him?

6 Ref But ye have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you, and themselves drag you before the judgment-seats?

7 Ref Do not they blaspheme the honorable name by which ye are called?

8 Ref Howbeit if ye fulfil the royal law, according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well:

9 Ref but if ye have respect of persons, ye commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors.

10 Ref For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one `point', he is become guilty of all.

11 Ref For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou dost not commit adultery, but killest, thou art become a transgressor of the law.

12 Ref So speak ye, and so do, as men that are to be judged by a law of liberty.

13 Ref For judgment `is' without mercy to him that hath showed no mercy: mercy glorieth against judgment.

14 Ref What doth it profit, my brethren, if a man say he hath faith, but have not works? can that faith save him?

15 Ref If a brother or sister be naked and in lack of daily food,

16 Ref and one of you say unto them, Go in peace, be ye warmed and filled; and yet ye give them not the things needful to the body; what doth it profit?

17 Ref Even so faith, if it have not works, is dead in itself.

18 Ref Yea, a man will say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith apart from `thy' works, and I by my works will show thee `my' faith.

19 Ref Thou believest that God is one; thou doest well: the demons also believe, and shudder.

20 Ref But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith apart from works is barren?

21 Ref Was not Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son upon the altar?

22 Ref Thou seest that faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect;

23 Ref and the scripture was fulfilled which saith, And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness; and he was called the friend of God.

24 Ref Ye see that by works a man is justified, and not only by faith.

25 Ref And in like manner was not also Rahab the harlot justified by works, in that she received the messengers, and sent them out another way?

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

Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

1 Ref My brethren, hold not, in respect of persons, the faith of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ,

2 Ref for if there may come into your synagogue a man with gold ring, in gay raiment, and there may come in also a poor man in vile raiment,

3 Ref and ye may look upon him bearing the gay raiment, and may say to him, `Thou -- sit thou here well,' and to the poor man may say, `Thou -- stand thou there, or, Sit thou here under my footstool,' --

4 Ref ye did not judge fully in yourselves, and did become ill-reasoning judges.

5 Ref Hearken, my brethren beloved, did not God choose the poor of this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the reign that He promised to those loving Him?

6 Ref and ye did dishonour the poor one; do not the rich oppress you and themselves draw you to judgment-seats;

7 Ref do they not themselves speak evil of the good name that was called upon you?

8 Ref If, indeed, royal law ye complete, according to the Writing, `Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself,' -- ye do well;

9 Ref and if ye accept persons, sin ye do work, being convicted by the law as transgressors;

10 Ref for whoever the whole law shall keep, and shall stumble in one `point', he hath become guilty of all;

11 Ref for He who is saying, `Thou mayest not commit adultery,' said also, `Thou mayest do no murder;' and if thou shalt not commit adultery, and shalt commit murder, thou hast become a transgressor of law;

12 Ref so speak ye and so do, as about by a law of liberty to be judged,

13 Ref for the judgment without kindness `is' to him not having done kindness, and exult doth kindness over judgment.

14 Ref What `is' the profit, my brethren, if faith, any one may speak of having, and works he may not have? is that faith able to save him?

15 Ref and if a brother or sister may be naked, and may be destitute of the daily food,

16 Ref and any one of you may say to them, `Depart ye in peace, be warmed, and be filled,' and may not give to them the things needful for the body, what `is' the profit?

17 Ref so also the faith, if it may not have works, is dead by itself.

18 Ref But say may some one, Thou hast faith, and I have works, shew me thy faith out of thy works, and I will shew thee out of my works my faith:

19 Ref thou -- thou dost believe that God is one; thou dost well, and the demons believe, and they shudder!

20 Ref And dost thou wish to know, O vain man, that the faith apart from the works is dead?

21 Ref Abraham our father -- was not he declared righteous out of works, having brought up Isaac his son upon the altar?

22 Ref dost thou see that the faith was working with his works, and out of the works the faith was perfected?

23 Ref and fulfilled was the Writing that is saying, `And Abraham did believe God, and it was reckoned to him -- to righteousness;' and, `Friend of God' he was called.

24 Ref Ye see, then, that out of works is man declared righteous, and not out of faith only;

25 Ref and in like manner also Rahab the harlot -- was she not out of works declared righteous, having received the messengers, and by another way having sent forth?

26 Ref for as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also the faith apart from the works is dead.

Chapter 2 of 5

Begin Your Journey of Faith

We all start at different points in our walk with Christ. No matter where you are, we're here to support you as you grow in faith.

Accept Jesus Christ as Your Savior

If you haven’t made the decision to follow Jesus yet, we want to walk with you as you discover the new life He offers.

Read "A Truly Free Gift"

What Guides Our Walk With Christ

Discover the biblical truths and core beliefs that shape how we live, serve, and walk faithfully with Christ each day.

Explore Our Beliefs

Join a Community of Believers

Don’t walk through life alone. Find others to connect with, whether in person or online, and grow together in Christ.

Discover Where We Meet