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James 2 :: New International Version (NIV)

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Favoritism Forbidden

Unchecked Copy BoxJas 2:1 - My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism.
Unchecked Copy BoxJas 2:2 - Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in.
Unchecked Copy BoxJas 2:3 - If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,”
Unchecked Copy BoxJas 2:4 - have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
Unchecked Copy BoxJas 2:5 - Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?
Unchecked Copy BoxJas 2:6 - But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court?
Unchecked Copy BoxJas 2:7 - Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong?
Unchecked Copy BoxJas 2:8 - If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,”[fn] you are doing right.
Unchecked Copy BoxJas 2:9 - But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.
Unchecked Copy BoxJas 2:10 - For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.
Unchecked Copy BoxJas 2:11 - For he who said, “You shall not commit adultery,”[fn] also said, “You shall not murder.”[fn] If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.
Unchecked Copy BoxJas 2:12 - Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom,
Unchecked Copy BoxJas 2:13 - because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

Faith and Deeds

(cf. Gen 22; Jos 2 )
Unchecked Copy BoxJas 2:14 - What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?
Unchecked Copy BoxJas 2:15 - Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food.
Unchecked Copy BoxJas 2:16 - If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?
Unchecked Copy BoxJas 2:17 - In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
Unchecked Copy BoxJas 2:18 - But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.
Unchecked Copy BoxJas 2:19 - You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
Unchecked Copy BoxJas 2:20 - You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless[fn]?
Unchecked Copy BoxJas 2:21 - Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?
Unchecked Copy BoxJas 2:22 - You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.
Unchecked Copy BoxJas 2:23 - And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,”[fn] and he was called God’s friend.
Unchecked Copy BoxJas 2:24 - You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.
Unchecked Copy BoxJas 2:25 - In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?
Unchecked Copy BoxJas 2:26 - As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
NIV Footnotes
Lev. 19:18
Exodus 20:14; Deut. 5:18
Exodus 20:13; Deut. 5:17
Some early manuscripts dead
Gen. 15:6
NIV

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Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.®
Used by Permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.


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For more information on this translation, see the NIV Preface.

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