For if a man comes into your [a]assembly with a gold ring and is dressed in (A)bright clothes, and a poor man in (B)dirty clothes also comes in, and you [b]pay special attention to the one who is wearing the (C)bright clothes, and say, “You sit here in a good place,” and you say to the poor man, “You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool,” have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges (D)with evil [c]motives? Listen, (E)my beloved brothers and sisters: did (F)God not choose the poor [d]of this world to be (G)rich in faith and (H)heirs of the kingdom which He (I)promised to those who love Him? But you have dishonored the poor man. Is it not the rich who oppress you and [e]personally (J)drag you into [f]court? (K)Do they not blaspheme the good name [g]by which you have been called?

If, however, you (L)are fulfilling the [h]royal law according to the Scripture, “(M)You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. But if you (N)show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the Law as violators.

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Footnotes

  1. James 2:2 Or synagogue
  2. James 2:3 Lit look at
  3. James 2:4 Lit reasonings
  4. James 2:5 Lit to the
  5. James 2:6 Lit they themselves
  6. James 2:6 Lit courts
  7. James 2:7 Lit which has been called upon you
  8. James 2:8 Or law of our King

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