James 2–3

Favoritism Forbidden

2My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious^t Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism.^{u 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. ³If 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,” ⁴have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges^v with evil thoughts?

⁵Listen, my dear brothers and sisters:^w Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world^x to be rich in faith^y and to inherit the kingdom^z he promised those who love him?^{a 6}But you have dishonored the poor.^b Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court?^{c 7}Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong?

⁸If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,”^ad you are doing right. ⁹But if you show favoritism,^e you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.^{f 10}For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles^g at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.^{h 11}For he who said, “You shall not commit adultery,”^bi also said, “You shall not murder.”^cj If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.

¹²Speak and act as those who are going to be judged^k by the law that gives freedom,^{l 13}because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful.^m Mercy triumphs over judgment.

Faith and Deeds

¹⁴What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds?ⁿ Can such faith save them? ¹⁵Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food.^{o 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?^{p 17}In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.^q

¹⁸But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”

Show me your faith without deeds,^r and I will show you my faith^s by my deeds.^{t 19}You believe that there is one God.^u Good! Even the demons believe that^v—and shudder.

²⁰You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless^d?^{w 21}Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?^{x 22}You see that his faith and his actions were working together,^y and his faith was made complete by what he did.^{z 23}And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,”^ea and he was called God’s friend.^{b 24}You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.

²⁵In 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?^{c 26}As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.^d

Taming the Tongue

3Not many of you should become teachers,^e my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged^f more strictly.^{g 2}We all stumble^h in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they sayⁱ is perfect,^j able to keep their whole body in check.^k

³When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal.^{l 4}Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. ⁵Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts.^m Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. ⁶The tongue also is a fire,ⁿ a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body,^o sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.^p

⁷All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, ⁸but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.^q

⁹With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness.^{r 10}Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. ¹¹Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? ¹²My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs?^s Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

Two Kinds of Wisdom

¹³Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it^t by their good life, by deeds^u done in the humility that comes from wisdom. ¹⁴But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition^v in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.^{w 15}Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven^x but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.^{y 16}For where you have envy and selfish ambition,^z there you find disorder and every evil practice.

¹⁷But the wisdom that comes from heaven^a is first of all pure; then peace-loving,^b considerate, submissive, full of mercy^c and good fruit, impartial and sincere.^{d 18}Peacemakers^e who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.^f