James 2:1-26
James 2:1-26 (Good News Translation)
1My friends, as believers in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, you
must never treat people in different ways according to their outward
appearance. 2Suppose a rich man wearing a gold ring and fine clothes comes
to your meeting, and a poor man in ragged clothes also comes. 3If you show
more respect to the well-dressed man and say to him, Have this best seat
here, but say to the poor man, Stand over there, or sit here on the floor
by my feet, 4then you are guilty of creating distinctions among yourselves
and of making judgments based on evil motives. 5Listen, my dear friends!
God chose the poor people of this world to be rich in faith and to possess
the kingdom which he promised to those who love him. 6But you dishonor the
poor! Who are the ones who oppress you and drag you before the judges? The
rich! 7They are the ones who speak evil of that good name which has been
given to you. 8You will be doing the right thing if you obey the law of
the Kingdom, which is found in the scripture, Love your neighbor as you
love yourself. 9But if you treat people according to their outward
appearance, you are guilty of sin, and the Law condemns you as a
lawbreaker. 10Whoever breaks one commandment is guilty of breaking them
all. 11For the same one who said, Do not commit adultery, also said, Do
not commit murder. Even if you do not commit adultery, you have become a
lawbreaker if you commit murder. 12Speak and act as people who will be
judged by the law that sets us free. 13For God will not show mercy when he
judges the person who has not been merciful; but mercy triumphs over
judgment. 14My friends, what good is it for one of you to say that you
have faith if your actions do not prove it? Can that faith save you?
15Suppose there are brothers or sisters who need clothes and don't have
enough to eat. 16What good is there in your saying to them, God bless you!
Keep warm and eat well!—if you don't give them the necessities of life?
17So it is with faith: if it is alone and includes no actions, then it is
dead. 18But someone will say, One person has faith, another has actions.
My answer is, Show me how anyone can have faith without actions. I will
show you my faith by my actions. 19Do you believe that there is only one
God? Good! The demons also believe—and tremble with fear. 20You fool! Do
you want to be shown that faith without actions is useless? 21How was our
ancestor Abraham put right with God? It was through his actions, when he
offered his son Isaac on the altar. 22Can't you see? His faith and his
actions worked together; his faith was made perfect through his actions.
23And the scripture came true that said, Abraham believed God, and because
of his faith God accepted him as righteous. And so Abraham was called God's
friend. 24You see, then, that it is by our actions that we are put right
with God, and not by our faith alone. 25It was the same with the
prostitute Rahab. She was put right with God through her actions, by
welcoming the Israelite spies and helping them to escape by a different
road. 26So then, as the body without the spirit is dead, also faith
without actions is dead.
God bless you.
1My friends, as believers in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, you
must never treat people in different ways according to their outward
appearance. 2Suppose a rich man wearing a gold ring and fine clothes comes
to your meeting, and a poor man in ragged clothes also comes. 3If you show
more respect to the well-dressed man and say to him, Have this best seat
here, but say to the poor man, Stand over there, or sit here on the floor
by my feet, 4then you are guilty of creating distinctions among yourselves
and of making judgments based on evil motives. 5Listen, my dear friends!
God chose the poor people of this world to be rich in faith and to possess
the kingdom which he promised to those who love him. 6But you dishonor the
poor! Who are the ones who oppress you and drag you before the judges? The
rich! 7They are the ones who speak evil of that good name which has been
given to you. 8You will be doing the right thing if you obey the law of
the Kingdom, which is found in the scripture, Love your neighbor as you
love yourself. 9But if you treat people according to their outward
appearance, you are guilty of sin, and the Law condemns you as a
lawbreaker. 10Whoever breaks one commandment is guilty of breaking them
all. 11For the same one who said, Do not commit adultery, also said, Do
not commit murder. Even if you do not commit adultery, you have become a
lawbreaker if you commit murder. 12Speak and act as people who will be
judged by the law that sets us free. 13For God will not show mercy when he
judges the person who has not been merciful; but mercy triumphs over
judgment. 14My friends, what good is it for one of you to say that you
have faith if your actions do not prove it? Can that faith save you?
15Suppose there are brothers or sisters who need clothes and don't have
enough to eat. 16What good is there in your saying to them, God bless you!
Keep warm and eat well!—if you don't give them the necessities of life?
17So it is with faith: if it is alone and includes no actions, then it is
dead. 18But someone will say, One person has faith, another has actions.
My answer is, Show me how anyone can have faith without actions. I will
show you my faith by my actions. 19Do you believe that there is only one
God? Good! The demons also believe—and tremble with fear. 20You fool! Do
you want to be shown that faith without actions is useless? 21How was our
ancestor Abraham put right with God? It was through his actions, when he
offered his son Isaac on the altar. 22Can't you see? His faith and his
actions worked together; his faith was made perfect through his actions.
23And the scripture came true that said, Abraham believed God, and because
of his faith God accepted him as righteous. And so Abraham was called God's
friend. 24You see, then, that it is by our actions that we are put right
with God, and not by our faith alone. 25It was the same with the
prostitute Rahab. She was put right with God through her actions, by
welcoming the Israelite spies and helping them to escape by a different
road. 26So then, as the body without the spirit is dead, also faith
without actions is dead.
God bless you.
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