The text

James 2

James 2:1WEB

My brothers, don’t hold the faith of our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with partiality.

James 2:2WEB

For if a man with a gold ring, in fine clothing, comes into your synagogue, and a poor man in filthy clothing also comes in,

James 2:3WEB

and you pay special attention to him who wears the fine clothing and say, “Sit here in a good place;” and you tell the poor man, “Stand there,” or “Sit by my footstool”

James 2:4WEB

haven’t you shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?

James 2:5WEB

Listen, my beloved brothers. Didn’t 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?

James 2:6WEB

But you have dishonored the poor man. Don’t the rich oppress you and personally drag you before the courts?

James 2:7WEB

Don’t they blaspheme the honorable name by which you are called?

James 2:8WEB

However, if you fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well.

James 2:9WEB

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

James 2:10WEB

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

James 2:11WEB

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

James 2:12WEB

So speak and so do as men who are to be judged by the law of freedom.

James 2:13WEB

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

James 2:14WEB

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

James 2:15WEB

And if a brother or sister is naked and in lack of daily food,

James 2:16WEB

and one of you tells them, “Go in peace. Be warmed and filled;” yet you didn’t give them the things the body needs, what good is it?

James 2:17WEB

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

James 2:18WEB

Yes, a man will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

James 2:19WEB

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

James 2:20WEB

But do you want to know, vain man, that faith apart from works is dead?

James 2:21WEB

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

James 2:22WEB

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

James 2:23WEB

So the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him as righteousness,” and he was called the friend of God.

James 2:24WEB

You see then that by works a man is justified, and not only by faith.

James 2:25WEB

In the same way, wasn’t Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?

James 2:26WEB

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

Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain.