James Chapter 2 | KJV & Greek New Testament

1

Ἀδελφοί μου, μὴ ἐν προσωποληψίαις ἔχετε τὴν πίστιν τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τῆς δόξης.

KJVMy brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.

My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism.

2

Ἐὰν γὰρ εἰσέλθῃ εἰς τὴν συναγωγὴν ὑμῶν ἀνὴρ χρυσοδακτύλιος ἐν ἐσθῆτι λαμπρᾷ, εἰσέλθῃ δὲ καὶ πτωχὸς ἐν ῥυπαρᾷ ἐσθῆτι,

KJVFor if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;

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.

3

καὶ ἐπιβλέψητε ἐπὶ τὸν φοροῦντα τὴν ἐσθῆτα τὴν λαμπράν, καὶ εἴπητε αὐτῷ, Σὺ κάθου ὧδε καλῶς, καὶ τῷ πτωχῷ εἴπητε, Σὺ στῆθι ἐκεῖ, ἢ κάθου ὧδε ὑπὸ τὸ ὑποπόδιόν μου·

KJVAnd ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:

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,

4

καὶ οὐ διεκρίθητε ἐν ἑαυτοῖς, καὶ ἐγένεσθε κριταὶ διαλογισμῶν πονηρῶν;

KJVAre ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?

have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

5

Ἀκούσατε, ἀδελφοί μου ἀγαπητοί. Οὐχ ὁ Θεὸς ἐξελέξατο τοὺς πτωχοὺς τοῦ κόσμου πλουσίους ἐν πίστει, καὶ κληρονόμους τῆς βασιλείας ἧς ἐπηγγείλατο τοῖς ἀγαπῶσιν αὐτόν;

KJVHearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?

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?

6

Ὑμεῖς δὲ ἠτιμάσατε τὸν πτωχόν. Οὐχ οἱ πλούσιοι καταδυναστεύουσιν ὑμῶν, καὶ αὐτοὶ ἕλκουσιν ὑμᾶς εἰς κριτήρια;

KJVBut ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?

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?

7

Οὐκ αὐτοὶ βλασφημοῦσιν τὸ καλὸν ὄνομα τὸ ἐπικληθὲν ἐφ' ὑμᾶς;

KJVDo not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?

Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong?

8

Εἰ μέντοι νόμον τελεῖτε βασιλικόν, κατὰ τὴν γραφήν, Ἀγαπήσεις τὸν πλησίον σου ὡς σεαυτόν, καλῶς ποιεῖτε·

KJVIf ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:

If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, Love your neighbor as yourself, you are doing right.

9

εἰ δὲ προσωποληπτεῖτε, ἁμαρτίαν ἐργάζεσθε, ἐλεγχόμενοι ὑπὸ τοῦ νόμου ὡς παραβάται.

KJVBut if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.

But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.

10

Ὅστις γὰρ ὅλον τὸν νόμον τηρήσει, πταίσει δὲ ἐν ἑνί, γέγονεν πάντων ἔνοχος.

KJVFor whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.

11

Ὁ γὰρ εἰπών, Μὴ μοιχεύσεις, εἶπεν καί, Μὴ φονεύσεις· εἰ δὲ οὐ μοιχεύσεις, φονεύσεις δέ, γέγονας παραβάτης νόμου.

KJVFor he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.

For he who said, You shall not commit adultery, also said, You shall not murder. If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.

12

Οὕτως λαλεῖτε καὶ οὕτως ποιεῖτε, ὡς διὰ νόμου ἐλευθερίας μέλλοντες κρίνεσθαι.

KJVSo speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.

Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom,

13

Ἡ γὰρ κρίσις ἀνέλεος τῷ μὴ ποιήσαντι ἔλεος· κατακαυχᾶται ἔλεον κρίσεως.

KJVFor he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.

because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

14

Τί τὸ ὄφελος, ἀδελφοί μου, ἐὰν πίστιν λέγῃ τις ἔχειν, ἔργα δὲ μὴ ἔχῃ; Μὴ δύναται ἡ πίστις σῶσαι αὐτόν;

KJVWhat doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?

15

Ἐὰν δὲ ἀδελφὸς ἢ ἀδελφὴ γυμνοὶ ὑπάρχωσιν καὶ λειπόμενοι ὦσιν τῆς ἐφημέρου τροφῆς,

KJVIf a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,

Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food.

16

εἴπῃ δέ τις αὐτοῖς ἐξ ὑμῶν, Ὑπάγετε ἐν εἰρήνῃ, θερμαίνεσθε καὶ χορτάζεσθε, μὴ δῶτε δὲ αὐτοῖς τὰ ἐπιτήδεια τοῦ σώματος, τί τὸ ὄφελος;

KJVAnd one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?

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?

17

οὕτω καὶ ἡ πίστις, ἐὰν μὴ ἔργα ἔχῃ, νεκρά ἐστι καθ' ἑαυτήν.

KJVEven so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

18

Ἀλλ' ἐρεῖ τις, Σὺ πίστιν ἔχεις, κἀγὼ ἔργα ἔχω· δεῖξόν μοι τὴν πίστιν σου ἐκ τῶν ἔργων σου, κἀγὼ δείξω σοι ἐκ τῶν ἔργων μου τὴν πίστιν μου.

KJVYea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

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.

19

Σὺ πιστεύεις ὅτι ὁ Θεὸς εἷς ἐστίν· καλῶς ποιεῖς· καὶ τὰ δαιμόνια πιστεύουσιν, καὶ φρίσσουσιν.

KJVThou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that — and shudder.

20

Θέλεις δὲ γνῶναι, ὦ ἄνθρωπε κενέ, ὅτι ἡ πίστις χωρὶς τῶν ἔργων νεκρά ἐστιν;

KJVBut wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?

21

Ἀβραὰμ ὁ πατὴρ ἡμῶν οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων ἐδικαιώθη, ἀνενέγκας Ἰσαὰκ τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον;

KJVWas not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?

Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?

22

Βλέπεις ὅτι ἡ πίστις συνήργει τοῖς ἔργοις αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἔργων ἡ πίστις ἐτελειώθη;

KJVSeest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?

You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.

23

Καὶ ἐπληρώθη ἡ γραφὴ ἡ λέγουσα, Ἐπίστευσεν δὲ Ἀβραὰμ τῷ Θεῷ, καὶ ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην, καὶ φίλος Θεοῦ ἐκλήθη.

KJVAnd the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

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

Ὁρᾶτε τοίνυν ὅτι ἐξ ἔργων δικαιοῦται ἄνθρωπος, καὶ οὐκ ἐκ πίστεως μόνον.

KJVYe see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.

25

Ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ Ῥαὰβ ἡ πόρνη οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων ἐδικαιώθη, ὑποδεξαμένη τοὺς ἀγγέλους, καὶ ἑτέρᾳ ὁδῷ ἐκβαλοῦσα;

KJVLikewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?

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?

26

Ὥσπερ γὰρ τὸ σῶμα χωρὶς πνεύματος νεκρόν ἐστιν, οὕτως καὶ ἡ πίστις χωρὶς τῶν ἔργων νεκρά ἐστιν.

KJVFor as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

James — Chapter 2