James 1:12-2:16

English Standard Version

¹²^(A)Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive ^(B)the crown of life, ^(C)which God has promised to those who love him. ¹³Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. ¹⁴But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. ¹⁵Then desire ^(D)when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and ^(E)sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

¹⁶Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. ¹⁷^(F)Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from ^(G)the Father of lights, ^(H)with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.^[a] ¹⁸^(I)Of his own will he ^(J)brought us forth by the word of truth, ^(K)that we should be a kind of ^(L)firstfruits of his creatures.

Hearing and Doing the Word

¹⁹^(M)Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person ^(N)be quick to hear, ^(O)slow to speak, ^(P)slow to anger; ²⁰for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. ²¹Therefore ^(Q)put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with ^(R)meekness the implanted word, ^(S)which is able to save your souls.

²²But be ^(T)doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. ²³For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. ²⁴For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. ²⁵But the one who looks into the perfect law, ^(U)the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, ^(V)he will be blessed in his doing.

²⁶If anyone thinks he is religious ^(W)and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's ^(X)religion is worthless. ²⁷Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: ^(Y)to visit ^(Z)orphans and widows in their affliction, and ^(AA)to keep oneself ^(AB)unstained from the world.

The Sin of Partiality

2 My brothers,^[b] ^(AC)show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, ^(AD)the Lord of glory. ²For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, ³and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” ^(AE)while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” ⁴have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become ^(AF)judges with evil thoughts? ⁵Listen, my beloved brothers, ^(AG)has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be ^(AH)rich in faith and heirs of ^(AI)the kingdom, ^(AJ)which he has promised to those who love him? ⁶But you ^(AK)have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who ^(AL)drag you ^(AM)into court? ⁷Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable ^(AN)name by which you were called?

⁸If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, ^(AO)“You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. ⁹But if you ^(AP)show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. ¹⁰For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point ^(AQ)has become guilty of all of it. ¹¹For he who said, ^(AR)“Do not commit adultery,” also said, ^(AS)“Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. ¹²So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under ^(AT)the law of liberty. ¹³For ^(AU)judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

Faith Without Works Is Dead

¹⁴What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith ^(AV)but does not have works? Can that faith save him? ¹⁵^(AW)If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, ¹⁶^(AX)and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good^[c] is that?