James 2
The full text of James 2 in the Trinity Bible Version — clear modern English, translated from the original Greek. Free to read.
1 My brothers and sisters, do not hold the faith of our glorious Lord Jesus Christ while showing favoritism.
2 Suppose a man comes into your assembly wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy clothes also comes in.
3 If you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say, "Here is a good seat for you," but say to the poor man, "You stand there," or, "Sit on the floor by my feet,"
4 have you not made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
5 Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he promised to 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 were called?
8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing well.
9 But if you show favoritism, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
10 For whoever keeps the whole law but stumbles at one point has become guilty of all of it.
11 For he who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." Now if you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.
12 Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law of freedom.
13 For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no works? Can such faith save him?
15 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and lacks daily food,
16 and one of you says to them, "Go in peace; keep warm and eat well," but does not give them what the body needs, what good is it?
17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
18 But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith apart from works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
19 You believe that God is one. Good for you! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
20 Do you want to know, you foolish person, that faith without works is useless?
21 Was not our father Abraham justified by works when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?
22 You see that faith was working together with his works, and by the works faith was brought to completion.
23 And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God's friend.
24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.
25 In the same way, was not Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she welcomed the messengers and sent them off by another road?
26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.
Translation notes (9)
- James 2:1a This can also be translated, 'the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory.' The Greek phrase tEs doxEs, meaning 'of glory,' may describe 'Lord' or stand as a separate idea.
- James 2:2a The Greek word synagOgEn means 'synagogue' or 'gathering/assembly'; here it refers to the Christian meeting place.
- James 2:14a The Greek phrase hE pistis, literally 'the faith,' could also mean 'that faith,' referring to the claimed faith just mentioned. The definite article 'the' may point back to a faith that is merely professed.
- James 2:17a This can also be translated, 'faith, if it has no works, is dead in itself.' The Greek phrase kath' heautEn, meaning 'by itself' or 'in itself,' can describe either the faith's isolation or the way it is dead. This verse is a point of theological debate between different traditions concerning faith and works.
- James 2:18a The exact end of the objector's quotation is uncertain in the Greek text; it may conclude after 'works' or continue further. Some manuscripts read 'by your works' instead of 'apart from your works.'
- James 2:19a Or "that there is one God." Echoes the Shema (Deut 6:4). Manuscripts vary in word order ("one is God" / "God is one").
- James 2:20a Some manuscripts read 'dead' (nekra) instead of 'useless' (argE). The critical Greek text reads argE, meaning 'idle' or 'useless,' which also creates a wordplay with 'without works' (a-erga).
- James 2:24a This verse, which discusses the relationship between faith and works for justification, is one of the most debated in Scripture among Christian traditions. The Greek plainly states ex ergOn...kai ouk ek pisteOs monon, meaning "by works...and not by faith alone."
- James 2:26a This can also be translated as "without breath." The Greek word pneuma can mean either "spirit" or "breath," and the analogy of body and breath here frames faith and works as a living whole.
About this translation
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