James 2
GOD’S WORD Translation
Don’t Favor Rich People over Poor People
2 My brothers and sisters, practice your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ by not favoring one person over another. 2 For example, two men come to your worship service. One man is wearing gold rings and fine clothes; the other man, who is poor, is wearing shabby clothes. 3 Suppose you give special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say to him, “Please have a seat.” But you say to the poor man, “Stand over there,” or “Sit on the floor at my feet.” 4 Aren’t you discriminating against people and using a corrupt standard to make judgments?
5 Listen, my dear brothers and sisters! Didn’t God choose poor people in the world to become rich in faith and to receive the kingdom that he promised to those who love him? 6 Yet, you show no respect to poor people. Don’t rich people oppress you and drag you into court? 7 Don’t they curse the good name ⌞of Jesus⌟, the name that was used to bless you?
8 You are doing right if you obey this law from the highest authority: “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.” 9 If you favor one person over another, you’re sinning, and this law convicts you of being disobedient. 10 If someone obeys all of God’s laws except one, that person is guilty of breaking all of them. 11 After all, the one who said, “Never commit adultery,” is the same one who said, “Never murder.” If you do not commit adultery but you murder, you become a person who disobeys God’s laws.
12 Talk and act as people who are going to be judged by laws that bring freedom. 13 No mercy will be shown to those who show no mercy to others. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
We Show Our Faith by What We Do
14 My brothers and sisters, what good does it do if someone claims to have faith but doesn’t do any good things? Can this kind of faith save him? 15 Suppose a believer, whether a man or a woman, needs clothes or food 16 and one of you tells that person, “God be with you! Stay warm, and make sure you eat enough.” If you don’t provide for that person’s physical needs, what good does it do? 17 In the same way, faith by itself is dead if it doesn’t cause you to do any good things.
18 Another person might say, “You have faith, but I do good things.” Show me your faith apart from the good things you do. I will show you my faith by the good things I do. 19 You believe that there is one God. That’s fine! The demons also believe that, and they tremble with fear.
20 You fool! Do you have to be shown that faith which does nothing is useless? 21 Didn’t our ancestor Abraham receive God’s approval as a result of what he did when he offered his son Isaac as a sacrifice on the altar? 22 You see that Abraham’s faith and what he did worked together. His faith was shown to be genuine by what he did. 23 The Scripture passage came true. It says, “Abraham believed God, and that faith was regarded as the basis of Abraham’s approval by God.” So Abraham was called God’s friend. 24 You see that a person receives God’s approval because of what he does, not only because of what he believes. 25 The same is true of the prostitute Rahab who welcomed the spies and sent them away on another road. She received God’s approval because of what she did.
26 A body that doesn’t breathe [a] is dead. In the same way faith that does nothing is dead.
Footnotes
- 2:26 Or “A body without a spirit.”
James 2
The Voice
2 My brothers and sisters, I know you’ve heard this before, but stop playing favorites! Do not try to blend the genuine faith of our glorious Lord Jesus, the Anointed One, with your silly pretentiousness. 2 If an affluent gentleman enters your gathering wearing the finest clothes and priceless jewelry, don’t trip over each other trying to welcome him. And if a penniless bum crawls in with his shabby clothes and a stench fills the room, don’t look away or pretend you didn’t notice—offer him a seat up front, next to you. 3-4 If you tell the wealthy man, “Come sit by me; there’s plenty of room,” but tell the vagrant, “Oh, these seats are saved. Go over there,” then you’ll be judging God’s children out of evil motives.
5 My dear brothers and sisters, listen: God has picked the poor of this world to become unfathomably rich in faith and ultimately to inherit the Kingdom, which He has pledged to those who love Him. 6 By favoring the rich, you have mocked the poor. And, correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t it the rich who step on you while climbing the ladder of success? And isn’t it the rich who take advantage of you and drag you into court? 7 Aren’t they the ones mocking the noble name of our God, the One calling us?
We are often mesmerized by the rich, powerful, and beautiful people of the world. We dream of associating with them; but when we focus our attention on the fashionable people of this world, it is often at the expense of those who need it the most.
Ignoring the needy and favoring the wealthy is completely contrary to the example Jesus modeled for us while walking on earth. God often chooses those who are the poorest materially to be the richest spiritually. We should welcome everyone equally into God’s kingdom, even if it means upsetting boundaries like class and race. The rule is simple: we should treat others in the same way we want to be treated. God does not play favorites, and neither should we.
8 Remember His call, and live by the royal law found in Scripture: love others as you love yourself.[a] You’ll be doing very well if you can get this down. 9 But if you show favoritism—paying attention to those who can help you in some way, while ignoring those who seem to need all the help—you’ll be sinning and condemned by the law. 10 For if a person could keep all of the laws and yet break just one; it would be like breaking them all. 11 The same God who said, “Do not commit adultery,”[b] also says, “Do not murder.”[c] If you break either of these commands, you’re a lawbreaker, no matter how you look at it. 12 So live your life in such a way that acknowledges that one day you will be judged. But the law that judges also gives freedom, 13 although you can’t expect to be shown mercy if you refuse to show mercy. But hear this: mercy always wins against judgment! Thank God!
James’ focus on works is frequently cited as a contradiction to other messages in the Bible. On the one hand, it appears James is saying that salvation is achieved by works; on the other, writers such as Paul emphasize that salvation comes by faith alone, not works of the law (Galatians 2).
Look carefully and you’ll see that Paul and James are talking about different issues. Paul is in the middle of a debate with Jewish Christians over whether Gentiles must live like Jews to enter the family of faith. He says that no one is made right with God by performing the works of the law. Instead, all people are made right by faith, thanks to God’s grace. For James the situation is entirely different. The works he is talking about refer to God’s people helping the poor, not whether non-Jews must live like Jews. He’s concerned about a shallow, insincere, and hypocritical faith.
Paul describes the root of salvation; a person is saved by God’s grace received through faith. James is explaining the fruit of salvation; saving faith is a faith that works.
14 Brothers and sisters, it doesn’t make any sense to say you have faith and act in a way that denies that faith. Mere talk never gets you very far, and a commitment to Jesus only in words will not save you. 15 It would be like seeing a brother or sister without any clothes out in the cold and begging for food, and 16 saying, “Shalom, friend, you should get inside where it’s warm and eat something,” but doing nothing about his needs—leaving him cold and alone on the street. What good would your words alone do? 17 The same is true with faith. Without actions, faith is useless. By itself, it’s as good as dead. 18 I know what you’re thinking: “OK, you have faith. And I have actions. Now let’s see your faith without works, and I’ll show you a faith that works.”
Don’t you realize that faith without works is useless, like a glove without a hand or a hat without a head?
19 Do you think that just believing there’s one God is going to get you anywhere? The demons believe that, too, and it terrifies them! 20 The fact is, faith has to show itself through works performed in faith. If you don’t recognize that, then you’re an empty soul. 21 Wasn’t our father Abraham made right with God by laying his son Isaac on the altar? 22 The faith in his heart was made known in his behavior. In fact, his commitment was perfected by his obedience. 23 That’s what Scripture means when it says, “Abraham entrusted himself to God, and God credited him with righteousness.”[d] And living a faithful life earned Abraham the title of “God’s friend.”[e] 24 Just like our father in the faith, we are made right with God through good works, not simply by what we believe or think. 25 Even Rahab the prostitute was made right with God by hiding the spies and aiding in their escape.[f] 26 Removing action from faith is like removing breath from a body. All you have left is a corpse.
James 2
New American Standard Bible
The Sin of Partiality
2 (A)My brothers and sisters, (B)do not hold your faith in our (C)glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of (D)personal favoritism. 2 For if a man comes into your [a]assembly with a gold ring and is dressed in (E)bright clothes, and a poor man in (F)dirty clothes also comes in, 3 and you [b]pay special attention to the one who is wearing the (G)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 (H)with evil [c]motives? 5 Listen, (I)my beloved brothers and sisters: did (J)God not choose the poor [d]of this world to be (K)rich in faith and (L)heirs of the kingdom which He (M)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 (N)drag you into [f]court? 7 (O)Do they not blaspheme the good name [g]by which you have been called?
8 If, however, you (P)are fulfilling the [h]royal law according to the Scripture, “(Q)You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. 9 But if you (R)show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the Law as violators. 10 For whoever keeps the whole Law, yet (S)stumbles in one point, has become (T)guilty of all. 11 For He who said, “(U)Do not commit adultery,” also said, “(V)Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but do murder, you have become a violator of the Law. 12 So speak, and so act, as those who are to be judged by (W)the law of freedom. 13 For (X)judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy [i]triumphs over judgment.
Faith and Works
14 (Y)What use is it, (Z)my brothers and sisters, if someone says he has faith, but he has no works? Can [j]that faith save him? 15 (AA)If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “(AB)Go in peace, [k]be warmed and be filled,” yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? 17 In the same way, (AC)faith also, if it has no works, is [l]dead, being by itself.
18 (AD)But someone [m]may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your (AE)faith without the works, and I will (AF)show you my faith (AG)by my works.” 19 You believe that [n](AH)God is one. (AI)You do well; (AJ)the demons also believe, and shudder. 20 But are you willing to acknowledge, (AK)you foolish person, that (AL)faith without works is useless? 21 (AM)Was our father Abraham not justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that (AN)faith was working with his works, and [o]as a result of the (AO)works, faith was [p]perfected; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “(AP)And Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called a (AQ)friend of God. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 In the same way, was (AR)Rahab the prostitute not justified by works also (AS)when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also (AT)faith without works is dead.
Footnotes
- James 2:2 Or synagogue
- James 2:3 Lit look at
- James 2:4 Lit reasonings
- James 2:5 Lit to the
- James 2:6 Lit they themselves
- James 2:6 Lit courts
- James 2:7 Lit which has been called upon you
- James 2:8 Or law of our King
- James 2:13 Lit boasts against
- James 2:14 Lit the
- James 2:16 Or warm yourselves and fill yourselves
- James 2:17 Or dead by its own standards
- James 2:18 Lit will
- James 2:19 One early ms there is one God
- James 2:22 Or by the deeds
- James 2:22 Or completed
Santiago 2
Nueva Biblia de las Américas
El pecado de la parcialidad
2 Hermanos míos(A), no tengan su fe(B) en nuestro glorioso Señor Jesucristo(C) con una actitud de favoritismo(D). 2 Porque si en su congregación[a] entra un hombre con anillo de oro y vestido de ropa lujosa[b](E), y también entra un pobre con ropa sucia[c](F), 3 y dan atención especial al que lleva la ropa lujosa(G), y dicen: «Siéntese aquí, en un buen lugar»; y al pobre dicen: «Tú estate allí de pie, o siéntate junto a mi estrado»; 4 ¿acaso no han hecho distinciones entre ustedes mismos, y han venido a ser jueces con malos pensamientos[d](H)?
5 Hermanos míos amados(I), escuchen: ¿No escogió Dios a los pobres(J) de este[e] mundo para ser ricos en fe(K) y herederos del reino(L) que Él prometió(M) a los que lo aman? 6 Pero ustedes han despreciado[f] al pobre. ¿No son los ricos los que los oprimen y personalmente[g] los arrastran a los tribunales(N)? 7 ¿No blasfeman ellos(O) el buen nombre por el cual ustedes han sido llamados[h]? 8 Si en verdad ustedes cumplen la ley real(P) conforme a la Escritura: «Amarás a tu prójimo como a ti mismo(Q)», bien hacen. 9 Pero si muestran favoritismo(R), cometen pecado y son hallados culpables por la ley como transgresores.
10 Porque cualquiera que guarda toda la ley, pero falla(S) en un punto, se ha hecho culpable de todos(T). 11 Pues el que dijo: «No cometas[i] adulterio(U)», también dijo: «No mates[j](V)». Ahora bien, si tú no cometes adulterio, pero matas, te has convertido en transgresor de la ley. 12 Así hablen ustedes y así procedan, como los que han de ser juzgados por la ley de la libertad(W). 13 Porque el juicio será sin misericordia(X) para el que no ha mostrado misericordia. La misericordia triunfa sobre[k] el juicio.
La fe y las obras
14 ¿De qué sirve[l](Y), hermanos míos(Z), si alguien dice que tiene fe, pero no tiene obras? ¿Acaso puede esa[m] fe salvarlo? 15 Si un hermano o una hermana no tienen ropa[n](AA) y carecen del sustento diario, 16 y uno de ustedes les dice: «Vayan en paz(AB), caliéntense y sáciense», pero no les dan lo necesario para su cuerpo, ¿de qué sirve[o]? 17 Así también la fe(AC) por sí misma, si no tiene obras, está muerta. 18 Pero alguien dirá: «Tú tienes fe y yo tengo obras(AD). Muéstrame tu fe sin las obras(AE), y yo te mostraré mi fe(AF) por mis obras(AG)». 19 Tú crees que Dios es uno[p](AH). Haces bien(AI); también los demonios creen(AJ), y tiemblan. 20 Pero, ¿estás dispuesto a admitir[q], oh hombre vano[r](AK), que la fe sin obras es estéril[s](AL)?
21 ¿No fue justificado por las obras Abraham nuestro padre(AM) cuando ofreció a su hijo Isaac sobre el altar? 22 Ya ves que la fe actuaba juntamente con sus obras(AN), y como resultado de las obras[t](AO), la fe fue perfeccionada; 23 y se cumplió la Escritura que dice: «Y Abraham creyó a Dios y le fue contado por[u] justicia(AP)», y fue llamado amigo de Dios(AQ). 24 Ustedes ven que el hombre es justificado por las obras y no solo por la fe.
25 Y de la misma manera, ¿no fue la ramera Rahab(AR) también justificada por las obras cuando recibió a los mensajeros y los envió por otro camino(AS)? 26 Porque así como el cuerpo sin el espíritu está muerto, así también la fe sin las obras está muerta(AT).
Footnotes
- Santiago 2:2 O sinagoga.
- Santiago 2:2 O brillante.
- Santiago 2:2 O andrajosa.
- Santiago 2:4 O móviles.
- Santiago 2:5 Lit. al.
- Santiago 2:6 O afrentado.
- Santiago 2:6 Lit. ellos.
- Santiago 2:7 Lit. que ha sido invocado sobre ustedes.
- Santiago 2:11 O No cometerás.
- Santiago 2:11 O No asesinarás.
- Santiago 2:13 Lit. se gloría contra.
- Santiago 2:14 O aprovecha.
- Santiago 2:14 Lit. la.
- Santiago 2:15 Lit. están desnudos.
- Santiago 2:16 O aprovecha.
- Santiago 2:19 O que hay un solo Dios.
- Santiago 2:20 Lit. ¿quieres saber.
- Santiago 2:20 O necio.
- Santiago 2:20 Algunos mss. antiguos dicen: muerta.
- Santiago 2:22 O por las obras.
- Santiago 2:23 O como.
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