James 2

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

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