James 2 — Berean Standard Bible

¹ My brothers, as you hold out [your] faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, {do} not [show] favoritism. ² Suppose a man comes into your meeting [wearing] a gold ring [and] fine clothes, and a poor [man] in shabby clothes also comes in. ³ [If] you lavish attention on the [man] in fine clothes and say, “Here [is] a seat of honor, [but] say to the poor [man], “You must stand or “Sit at my feet, ⁴ have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges [with] evil thoughts? ⁵ Listen, my beloved brothers: {Has} not God chosen the poor of this world [to be] rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom He promised those who love Him? ⁶ But you have dishonored the poor. [Is it] not the rich who oppress you and drag you into court? ⁷ {Are} they not the ones who blaspheme the noble name by which you have been called? ⁸ If you really fulfill [the] royal law stated in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. ⁹ But if you show favoritism, you sin [and] are convicted by the law as transgressors. ¹⁰ Whoever keeps the whole law but stumbles at just one [point] is guilty of [breaking] all of it. ¹¹ For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker. ¹² Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by [the] law that gives freedom. ¹³ For judgment without mercy [ will be shown to ] anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment. ¹⁴ What good [is it], my brothers, if someone claims to have faith, but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? ¹⁵ Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. ¹⁶ [If] one of you tells him, “Go in peace; stay warm and well fed, but {does} not provide for [his] physical needs, what good [ is that ]? ¹⁷ So too, faith by itself, if it does not result in action, is dead. ¹⁸ But someone will say, “You have faith and I have deeds. Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you [my] faith by my deeds. ¹⁹ You believe that God is one. Good for you! Even the demons believe [that]— and shudder. ²⁰ O foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is worthless? ²¹ {Was} not our father Abraham justified by what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? ²² You see that [his] faith was working with his actions, and [his] faith was perfected by what he did. ²³ And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called a friend of God. ²⁴ As you can see, a man is justified by [his] deeds and not by faith alone. ²⁵ In the same way, {was} not even Rahab the prostitute justified by her actions when she welcomed the spies and sent [them] off on another route? ²⁶ As the body without [the] spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.