James 2–3

Warning against Partiality

²My brothers and sisters, do not claim the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ of glory while showing partiality.^{* 2}For if a person with gold rings and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and if a poor person in dirty clothes also comes in, ³and if you take notice of the one wearing the fine clothes and say, “Have a seat here in a good place,” while to the one who is poor you say, “Stand there,” or, “Sit by my footstool,”^{* 4}have you not made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? ⁵Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters. Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him?^{* 6}But you have dishonored the poor person. Is it not the rich who oppress you? Is it not they who drag you into the courts?^{* 7}Is it not they who blaspheme the excellent name that was invoked over you?

⁸If you really fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well.^{* 9}But if you show partiality, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. ¹⁰For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it.^{* 11}For the one who said, “You shall not commit adultery,” also said, “You shall not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery but you murder, you have become a transgressor of^e the law.^{* 12}So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty.^{* 13}For judgment will be without mercy to anyone who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.^*

Faith without Works Is Dead

¹⁴What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? Surely that faith cannot save, can it?^{* 15}If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food^{* 16}and one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,” and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? ¹⁷So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.

¹⁸But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from works, and I by my works will show you faith.^{* 19}You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder.^{* 20}Do you want to be shown, you senseless person, that faith apart from works is worthless?^{f 21}Was not our ancestor Abraham justified by works when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?^{* 22}You see that faith was active along with his works, and by works faith was brought to completion.^{* 23}Thus the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,”^g and he was called the friend of God.^{* 24}You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. ²⁵Likewise, was not Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she welcomed the messengers^h and sent them out by another road?^{* 26}For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is also dead.

Taming the Tongue

³Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, for you know that we who teach will face stricter judgment.^{* 2}For all of us make many mistakes. Anyone who makes no mistakes in speaking is mature,ⁱ able to keep the whole body in check with a bridle.^{* 3}If we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we guide their whole bodies. ⁴Or look at ships: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, yet they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. ⁵So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits.

How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire!^{* 6}And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of life, and is itself set on fire by hell.^{j* 7}For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, ⁸but no one can tame the tongue—a restless^k evil, full of deadly poison.^{* 9}With it we bless the Lord^l and Father, and with it we curse people, made in the likeness of God.^{* 10}From the same mouth comes a blessing and a curse. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so. ¹¹Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and brackish water? ¹²Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters, yield olives or a grapevine figs? No more can salt water yield fresh.

Two Kinds of Wisdom

¹³Who is wise and knowledgeable among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom.^{* 14}But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not be arrogant and lie about the truth. ¹⁵This is not wisdom that comes down from above but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish.^{* 16}For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind.^{* 17}But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy.^{* 18}And the fruit of righteousness^m is sown in peace by those who make peace.^*