New Heart English Bible

James 2

1 My brothers, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ of glory with partiality.

2 For if someone with a gold ring, in fine clothing, comes into your synagogue, and a poor person in filthy clothing also comes in;

3 and you pay special attention to the one who wears the fine clothing, and say, "Sit here in a good place;" but you tell the poor person, "Stand there," or "Sit by my footstool."

4 Have you not discriminated among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?

5 Listen, my beloved brothers. Did not God choose those who are poor in this world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the Kingdom which he promised to those who love him?

6 But you have dishonored the poor person. Do not the rich oppress you, and personally drag you before the courts?

7 Do not they blaspheme the honorable name by which you are called?

8 However, if you fulfill the royal law, according to the Scripture, "You are to love your neighbor as yourself," you do well.

9 But if you show partiality, you commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors.

10 For whoever keeps the whole law, and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.

11 For he who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not commit murder." Now if you do not commit adultery, but murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.

12 So speak, and so do, as those who are to be judged by a law of freedom.

13 For judgment is without mercy to him who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith, but has no works? Can faith save him?

15 And if a brother or sister is poorly clothed and may be lacking in daily food,

16 and one of you tells them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled;" and yet you did not give them the things the body needs, what good is it?

17 Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead in itself.

18 But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without works, and I by my works will show you my faith.

19 You believe that God is one. You do well. The demons also believe, and shudder.

20 But do you want to know, foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?

21 Wasn't Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?

22 You see that faith worked with his works, and by works faith was perfected;

23 and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "And Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness;" and he was called the friend of God.

24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.

25 In like manner was not Rahab the prostitute also justified by works, in that she received the messengers, and sent them out another way?

26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, even so faith apart from works is dead.