James · Revised Version with Apocrypha
James 2 Revised Version with Apocrypha
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
RV Revised Version with Apocrypha
WEB World English Bible (Classic, with Deuterocanon)
PT1904 Patriarchal Text 1904 (accented, eBible edition)
1 My brethren, hold not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, [the Lord ]of glory, with respect of persons.
1 My brothers, don’t hold the faith of our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with partiality.
1 Ἀδελφοί μου, μὴ ἐν προσωποληψίαις ἔχετε τὴν πίστιν τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τῆς δόξης.
2 For if there come into your synagogue a man with a gold ring, in fine clothing, and there come in also a poor man in vile clothing;
2 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,
2 ἐὰν γὰρ εἰσέλθῃ εἰς τὴν συναγωγὴν ὑμῶν ἀνὴρ χρυσοδακτύλιος ἐν ἐσθῆτι λαμπρᾷ, εἰσέλθῃ δὲ καὶ πτωχὸς ἐν ῥυπαρᾷ ἐσθῆτι,
3 and ye have regard to him that weareth the fine clothing, and say, Sit thou here in a good place; and ye say to the poor man, Stand thou there, or sit under my footstool;
3 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”
3 καὶ ἐπιβλέψητε ἐπὶ τὸν φοροῦντα τὴν ἐσθῆτα τὴν λαμπρὰν καὶ εἴπητε αὐτῷ, σὺ κάθου ὧδε καλῶς, καὶ τῷ πτωχῷ εἴπητε, σὺ στῆθι ἐκεῖ ἢ κάθου ὧδε ὑπὸ τὸ ὑποπόδιόν μου,
4 are ye not divided in your own mind, and become judges with evil thoughts?
4 haven’t you shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?
4 καὶ οὐ διεκρίθητε ἐν ἑαυτοῖς καὶ ἐγένεσθε κριταὶ διαλογισμῶν πονηρῶν;
5 Hearken, my beloved brethren; did not God choose them that are poor as to the world [to be ]rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to them that love him?
5 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?
5 Ἀκούσατε, ἀδελφοί μου ἀγαπητοί. οὐχ ὁ Θεὸς ἐξελέξατο τοὺς πτωχοὺς τοῦ κόσμου πλουσίους ἐν πίστει καὶ κληρονόμους τῆς βασιλείας ἧς ἐπηγγείλατο τοῖς ἀγαπῶσιν αὐτόν;
6 But ye have dishonoured the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you, and themselves drag you before the judgment-seats?
6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Don’t the rich oppress you and personally drag you before the courts?
6 ὑμεῖς δὲ ἠτιμάσατε τὸν πτωχόν. οὐχ οἱ πλούσιοι καταδυναστεύουσιν ὑμῶν, καὶ αὐτοὶ ἕλκουσιν ὑμᾶς εἰς κριτήρια;
7 Do not they blaspheme the honourable name by the which ye are called?
7 Don’t they blaspheme the honorable name by which you are called?
7 οὐκ αὐτοὶ βλασφημοῦσι τὸ καλὸν ὄνομα τὸ ἐπικληθὲν ἐφ᾽ ὑμᾶς;
8 Howbeit if ye fulfill the royal law, according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:
8 However, if you fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well.
8 εἰ μέντοι νόμον τελεῖτε βασιλικὸν κατὰ τὴν γραφήν, ἀγαπήσεις τὸν πλησίον σου ὡς σεαυτόν, καλῶς ποιεῖτε·
9 but if ye have respect of persons, ye commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors.
9 But if you show partiality, you commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors.
9 εἰ δὲ προσωποληπτεῖτε, ἁμαρτίαν ἐργάζεσθε, ἐλεγχόμενοι ὑπὸ τοῦ νόμου ὡς παραβάται.
10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one [point], he is become guilty of all.
10 For whoever keeps the whole law, and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.
10 ὅστις γὰρ ὅλον τὸν νόμον τηρήσῃ, πταίσῃ δὲ ἐν ἑνί, γέγονε πάντων ἔνοχος.
11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou dost not commit adultery, but killest, thou art become a transgressor of the law.
11 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.
11 ὁ γὰρ εἰπὼν μὴ μοιχεύσῃς, εἶπε καὶ μὴ φονεύσῃς· εἰ δὲ οὐ μοιχεύσεις, φονεύσεις δέ, γέγονας παραβάτης νόμου.
12 So speak ye, and so do, as men that are to be judged by a law of liberty.
12 So speak and so do as men who are to be judged by the law of freedom.
12 οὕτω λαλεῖτε καὶ οὕτω ποιεῖτε, ὡς διὰ νόμου ἐλευθερίας μέλλοντες κρίνεσθαι·
13 For judgment [is ]without mercy to him that hath shewed no mercy: mercy glorieth against judgment.
13 For judgment is without mercy to him who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
13 ἡ γὰρ κρίσις ἀνέλεος τῷ μὴ ποιήσαντι ἔλεος· κατακαυχᾶται ἔλεος κρίσεως.
14 What doth it profit, my brethren, if a man say he hath faith, but have not works? can that faith save him?
14 What good is it, my brothers, if a man says he has faith, but has no works? Can faith save him?
14 Τί τὸ ὄφελος, ἀδελφοί μου, ἐὰν πίστιν λέγῃ τις ἔχειν, ἔργα δὲ μὴ ἔχῃ; μὴ δύναται ἡ πίστις σῶσαι αὐτόν;
15 If a brother or sister be naked, and in lack of daily food,
15 And if a brother or sister is naked and in lack of daily food,
15 ἐὰν δὲ ἀδελφὸς ἢ ἀδελφὴ γυμνοὶ ὑπάρχωσι καὶ λειπόμενοι [ὦσι] τῆς ἐφημέρου τροφῆς,
16 and one of you say unto them, Go in peace, be ye warmed and filled; and yet ye give them not the things needful to the body; what doth it profit?
16 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?
16 εἴπῃ δέ τις αὐτοῖς ἐξ ὑμῶν, ὑπάγετε ἐν εἰρήνῃ, θερμαίνεσθε καὶ χορτάζεσθε, μὴ δῶτε δὲ αὐτοῖς τὰ ἐπιτήδεια τοῦ σώματος, τί τὸ ὄφελος;
17 Even so faith, if it have not works, is dead in itself.
17 Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead in itself.
17 οὕτω καὶ ἡ πίστις, ἐὰν μὴ ἔργα ἔχῃ, νεκρά ἐστι καθ᾽ ἑαυτήν.
18 Yea, a man will say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith apart from [thy ]works, and I by my works will shew thee [my ]faith.
18 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.
18 ἀλλ᾽ ἐρεῖ τις· σὺ πίστιν ἔχεις, κἀγὼ ἔργα ἔχω· δεῖξόν μοι τὴν πίστιν σου ἐκ τῶν ἔργων σου, κἀγὼ δείξω σοι ἐκ τῶν ἔργων μου τὴν πίστιν μου.
19 Thou believest that God is one; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and shudder.
19 You believe that God is one. You do well. The demons also believe—and shudder.
19 σὺ πιστεύεις ὅτι ὁ Θεὸς εἷς ἐστι· καλῶς ποιεῖς· καὶ τὰ δαιμόνια πιστεύουσι καὶ φρίσσουσι.
20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith apart from works is barren?
20 But do you want to know, vain man, that faith apart from works is dead?
20 θέλεις δὲ γνῶναι, ὦ ἄνθρωπε κενέ, ὅτι ἡ πίστις χωρὶς τῶν ἔργων νεκρά ἐστιν;
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son upon the altar?
21 Wasn’t Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?
21 Ἀβραὰμ ὁ πατὴρ ἡμῶν οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων ἐδικαιώθη, ἀνενέγκας Ἰσαὰκ τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον;
22 Thou seest that faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect;
22 You see that faith worked with his works, and by works faith was perfected.
22 βλέπεις ὅτι ἡ πίστις συνήργει τοῖς ἔργοις αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἔργων ἡ πίστις ἐτελειώθη,
23 and the scripture was fulfilled which saith, And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness; and he was called the friend of God.
23 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.
23 καὶ ἐπληρώθη ἡ γραφὴ ἡ λέγουσα· ἐπίστευσε δὲ Ἀβραὰμ τῷ Θεῷ, καὶ ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην, καὶ φίλος Θεοῦ ἐκλήθη.
24 Ye see that by works a man is justified, and not only by faith.
24 You see then that by works a man is justified, and not only by faith.
24 ὁρᾶτε τοίνυν ὅτι ἐξ ἔργων δικαιοῦται ἄνθρωπος καὶ οὐκ ἐκ πίστεως μόνον.
25 And in like manner was not also Rahab the harlot justified by works, in that she received the messengers, and sent them out another way?
25 In the same way, wasn’t Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?
25 ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ Ῥαὰβ ἡ πόρνη οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων ἐδικαιώθη, ὑποδεξαμένη τοὺς ἀγγέλους καὶ ἑτέρᾳ ὁδῷ ἐκβαλοῦσα;
26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, even so faith apart from works is dead.
26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, even so faith apart from works is dead.
26 ὥσπερ γὰρ τὸ σῶμα χωρὶς πνεύματος νεκρόν ἐστιν, οὕτω καὶ ἡ πίστις χωρὶς τῶν ἔργων νεκρά ἐστι.
Cross references (26)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Proverbs 24:23; James 2:9; Leviticus 19:15; Deuteronomy 16:19; Deuteronomy 1:17
- 2 Esther 3:10; Luke 15:22; Matthew 11:8–9; Zechariah 3:3–4; Esther 8:2
- 3 2 Corinthians 8:9; James 2:6; Luke 7:44–46; Isaiah 65:5; Jude 16
- 4 John 7:24; Job 34:19; Matthew 7:1–5; Psalm 82:2; James 4:11
- 5 Matthew 5:3; Luke 6:20; Revelation 2:9; 1 Corinthians 1:26–28; 2 Corinthians 8:9
- 6 Proverbs 17:5; Proverbs 14:31; 1 Corinthians 11:22; Psalm 14:6; James 5:4
- 7 Philippians 2:9–11; Psalm 111:9; Ephesians 3:15; 1 Timothy 1:13; Revelation 13:5–6
- 8 Leviticus 19:18; Galatians 5:14; Matthew 22:39; Romans 13:8–9; James 2:12
- 9 Leviticus 19:15; James 2:1–4; John 8:9; 1 John 3:4; Romans 3:20
- 10 Galatians 3:10; Matthew 5:18–19; Deuteronomy 27:26
- 11 Exodus 20:13–14; Matthew 5:21–28; Deuteronomy 5:17–18; Romans 13:9; Matthew 19:18
- 12 James 1:25; James 2:8; Philippians 4:8; 2 Peter 1:4–8; Colossians 3:17
- 13 Matthew 5:7; Matthew 6:15; Proverbs 21:13; Luke 6:37; Ephesians 2:4–7
- 14 Matthew 7:26–27; Matthew 7:21–23; James 1:22–25; Luke 6:49; Titus 1:16
- 15 Luke 3:11; Matthew 25:35–40; Isaiah 58:7; Job 31:16–21; Isaiah 58:10
- 16 Proverbs 3:27–28; 1 John 3:16–18; Matthew 25:42–45; Romans 12:9; 2 Corinthians 8:8
- 17 James 2:26; 2 Peter 1:5–9; James 2:19–20; James 2:14; 1 Corinthians 13:13
- 18 James 3:13; James 2:14; 1 Timothy 1:5; Galatians 5:6; Titus 2:11–14
- 19 Luke 4:34; Mark 1:24; Matthew 8:29; Acts 16:17; Deuteronomy 6:4
- 20 James 2:17; James 2:26; Proverbs 12:11; Romans 1:21; Psalm 94:8–11
- 21 Genesis 22:16–18; Genesis 22:9–12; John 8:39; Matthew 12:37; Romans 4:16
- 22 1 Thessalonians 1:3; Hebrews 11:17–19; Galatians 5:6; 1 John 2:5; James 2:18
- 23 Genesis 15:6; Isaiah 41:8; 2 Chronicles 20:7; Galatians 3:6; Romans 4:22–24
- 24 James 2:21–22; James 2:15–18
- 25 Hebrews 11:31; Joshua 6:22–25; Joshua 2:19–21; Joshua 2:15; Joshua 2:4
- 26 James 2:20; James 2:17; James 2:14; Ecclesiastes 12:7; Job 34:14–15
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
… by these things, but that they were given as a sign to the people, this fact shows,-- that Abraham himself, without circumcision and without observance of Sabbaths, "believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness; and he was called the friend of God." Then, again, Lot, without circumcision, was brought out from Sodom, receiving salvation from God.
Forgive her, O Lord, forgive her, I beseech Thee; "enter not into judgment" with her. Let Thy mercy be exalted above Thy justice, because Thy words are true, and Thou hast promised mercy unto "the merciful;" which Thou gavest them to be who wilt "have mercy" on whom Thou wilt "have mercy," and wilt "have compassion" on whom Thou hast …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)
He was justified not only by works, but also by faith: for though he did many things well, yet he was never called the friend of God, except when he believed.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)
For faith apart from works is dead, and so likewise are works apart from faith.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 9 (1899)
… the whole city of God in its pilgrim state, for it cries to God by the mouth of all its members, "Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors." And this prayer is efficacious not for those whose faith is "without works and dead," but for those whose faith "worketh by love." For as reason, though subjected to God, …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)