James 2:2-9

New American Standard Bible

² 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, ³ 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,” ⁴ have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges ^(D)with evil ^[c]motives? ⁵ 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? ⁶ But you have dishonored the poor man. Is it not the rich who oppress you and ^[e]personally ^(J)drag you into ^[f]court? ^7 (K)Do they not blaspheme the good name ^[g]by which you have been called?

⁸ 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. ⁹ But if you ^(N)show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the Law as violators.