James 2

21st Century King James Version

2 My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.

² For if there come into your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment,

³ and ye have respect for him that weareth the grand clothing and say unto him, “Sit thou here in a good place,” and say to the poor man, “Stand thou there,” or, “Sit here under my footstool,”

⁴ are ye not then partial in yourselves and have become judges with evil thoughts?

⁵ Hearken, my beloved brethren: Hath not God chosen the poor of this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the Kingdom which He hath promised to those who love Him?

⁶ But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you and drag you before the judgment seats?

⁷ Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by which ye are called?

⁸ If ye fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself,” ye do well.

⁹ But if ye have respect of persons, ye commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.

¹⁰ For whosoever shall keep the whole law and yet offend on one point, he is guilty of all.

¹¹ For He that said, “Do not commit adultery,” said also, “Do not kill.” Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.

¹² So speak ye, and so do, as those who shall be judged by the law of liberty.

¹³ For he shall have judgment without mercy, who hath shown no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.

¹⁴ What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and hath not works? Can faith save him?

¹⁵ If a brother or sister be naked and destitute of daily food,

¹⁶ and one of you say unto them, “Depart in peace; be ye warmed and filled,” without giving them those things which are needful to the body, what doth it profit?

¹⁷ Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

¹⁸ Yea, a man may say, “Thou hast faith, and I have works.” Show me thy faith apart from thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works.

¹⁹ Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well. The devils also believe — and tremble.

²⁰ But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

²¹ Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?

²² Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?

²³ And the Scripture was fulfilled which saith, “Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness”; and he was called the friend of God.

²⁴ Ye see then how by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

²⁵ Likewise also, was not Rahab the harlot justified by works when she had received the messengers and had sent them out another way?

²⁶ For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.