James 2:1–13

¹My brethren, hold not, in respect of persons, the faith of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ, ²for if there may come into your synagogue a man with gold ring, in gay raiment, and there may come in also a poor man in vile raiment, ³and ye may look upon him bearing the gay raiment, and may say to him, ‘Thou—sit thou here well,’ and to the poor man may say, ‘Thou—stand thou there, or, Sit thou here under my footstool,’— ⁴ye did not judge fully in yourselves, and did become ill-reasoning judges. ⁵Hearken, my brethren beloved, did not God choose the poor of this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the reign that He promised to those loving Him? ⁶and ye did dishonour the poor one; do not the rich oppress you and themselves draw you to judgment-seats; ⁷do they not themselves speak evil of the good name that was called upon you?

⁸If, indeed, royal law ye complete, according to the Writing, ‘Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself,’—ye do well; ⁹and if ye accept persons, sin ye do work, being convicted by the law as transgressors; ¹⁰for whoever the whole law shall keep, and shall stumble in one point, he hath become guilty of all; ¹¹for He who is saying, ‘Thou mayest not commit adultery,’ said also, ‘Thou mayest do no murder;’ and if thou shalt not commit adultery, and shalt commit murder, thou hast become a transgressor of law; ¹²so speak ye and so do, as about by a law of liberty to be judged, ¹³for the judgment without kindness is to him not having done kindness, and exult doth kindness over judgment.