James 2:5-20
New American Standard Bible
Chapter 2
5Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters: did God not choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? 6But you have dishonored the poor man. Is it not the rich who oppress you and personally drag you into court? 7Do they not blaspheme the good name by which you have been called?
8If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF,' you are doing well.
9But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the Law as violators.
10For whoever keeps the whole Law, yet stumbles in one point, has become guilty of all.
11For He who said, 'DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY,' also said, 'DO NOT MURDER.' Now if you do not commit adultery, but do murder, you have become a violator of the Law.
12So speak, and so act, as those who are to be judged by the law of freedom.
13For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.
14What use is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone says he has faith, but he has no works? Can that faith save him?
15If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food,
16and one of you says to them, 'Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,' yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that?
17In the same way, faith also, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.
18But someone may well say, 'You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.'
19You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.
20But are you willing to acknowledge, you foolish person, that faith without works is useless?
King James Version
Chapter 2
5Hearken, 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 them that love him? 6But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats? 7Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called? 8If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: 9But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. 10For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
11For 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.
12So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.
13For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.
14What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
15If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
17Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
Christian Standard Bible
Chapter 2
5Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Didn’t God choose the poor in this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? 6Yet you have dishonored the poor. Don’t the rich oppress you and drag you into court? 7Don’t they blaspheme the good name that was invoked over you?
8Indeed, if you fulfill the royal law prescribed in the Scripture, Love your neighbor as yourself, you are doing well.
9If, however, you show favoritism, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
10For whoever keeps the entire law, and yet stumbles at one point, is guilty of breaking it all.
11For he who said, Do not commit adultery, also said, Do not murder. So if you do not commit adultery, but you murder, you are a lawbreaker.
12Speak and act as those who are to be judged by the law of freedom.
13For judgment is without mercy to the one who has not shown mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
15If a brother or sister is without clothes and lacks daily food
16and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, stay warm, and be well fed," but you don’t give them what the body needs, what good is it?
17In the same way faith, if it doesn’t have works, is dead by itself.
New Living Translation
Chapter 2
5Listen to me, dear brothers and sisters. Hasn’t God chosen the poor in this world to be rich in faith? Aren’t they the ones who will inherit the Kingdom he promised to those who love him? 6But you dishonor the poor! Isn’t it the rich who oppress you and drag you into court? 7Aren’t they the ones who slander Jesus Christ, whose noble name you bear?
8Yes indeed, it is good when you obey the royal law as found in the Scriptures: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'
9But if you favor some people over others, you are committing a sin. You are guilty of breaking the law.
10For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God’s laws.
11For the same God who said, 'You must not commit adultery,' also said, 'You must not murder.' So if you murder someone but do not commit adultery, you have still broken the law.
12So whatever you say or whatever you do, remember that you will be judged by the law that sets you free.
13There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you.
14What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone?
15Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing,
16and you say, 'Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well' — but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?
English Standard Version
Chapter 2
5Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? 6But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court? 7Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called?
8If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing well.
9But if you 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 has become guilty of all of it.
11For he who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "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 the law of liberty.
13For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
14What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?
15If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food,
16and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?
17So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
18But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
19You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe — and shudder!
20Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?
New International Version
Chapter 2
5Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? 6But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? 7Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong?
8If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing right.
9But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.
10For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.
11For he who said, "You shall not commit adultery," also said, "You shall not murder." If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.
12Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom,
13because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
14What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?
15Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food.
16If one of you says to them, "Go in peace; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?
17In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
New King James Version
Chapter 2
5Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? 6But you have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts? 7Do they not blaspheme that noble name by which you are called?
8If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well;
9but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
10For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.
11For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.
12So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty.
13For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
14What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?
15If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food,
16and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?
17Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
18But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
19You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!
20But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?
