Chapter 2
A Warning against Favoritism
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My brothers, as you hold out [your] faith in our vvv glorious Lord Jesus Christ, {do} not [show] favoritism.
μου Ἀδελφοί ἔχετε τὴν πίστιν τοῦ ἡμῶν τῆς δόξης Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ μὴ ἐν προσωπολημψίαις mou Adelphoi echete tēn pistin tou hēmōn tēs doxēs Kyriou Iēsou Christou mē en prosōpolēmpsiais — NA/TR · 1
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vvv Suppose a man comes into your meeting [wearing] a gold ring [and] fine clothes, and a poor [man] in shabby clothes also comes in.
γὰρ Ἐὰν ἀνὴρ εἰσέλθῃ εἰς ὑμῶν συναγωγὴν χρυσοδακτύλιος ἐν λαμπρᾷ ἐσθῆτι δὲ πτωχὸς ἐν ῥυπαρᾷ ἐσθῆτι καὶ εἰσέλθῃ gar Ean anēr eiselthē eis hymōn synagōgēn chrysodaktylios en lampra esthēti de ptōchos en rhypara esthēti kai eiselthē — NA/TR · 2
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[If] you lavish attention on the [man] in - fine clothes and say, “- Here [is] a seat of honor, [but] say to the poor [man], “You must stand or “Sit vvv at my feet,
δὲ ἐπιβλέψητε ἐπὶ τὸν φοροῦντα τὴν τὴν λαμπρὰν ἐσθῆτα καὶ εἴπητε Σὺ ὧδε κάθου καλῶς καὶ εἴπητε τῷ πτωχῷ Σὺ στῆθι ἢ Κάθου ἐκεῖ ὑπὸ μου τὸ ὑποπόδιόν de epiblepsēte epi ton phorounta tēn tēn lampran esthēta kai eipēte Sy hōde kathou kalōs kai eipēte tō ptōchō Sy stēthi ē Kathou ekei hypo mou to hypopodion — NA/TR · 3
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- vvv have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges [with] evil thoughts?
καὶ οὐ διεκρίθητε ἐν ἑαυτοῖς καὶ ἐγένεσθε κριταὶ πονηρῶν διαλογισμῶν kai ou diekrithēte en heautois kai egenesthe kritai ponērōn dialogismōn — NA/TR · 4
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Listen, my beloved brothers: {Has} not God chosen the poor of this world [to be] rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom He promised those who love Him?
Ἀκούσατε μου ἀγαπητοί ἀδελφοί οὐχ ὁ Θεὸς ἐξελέξατο τοὺς πτωχοὺς τῷ κόσμῳ πλουσίους ἐν πίστει καὶ κληρονόμους τῆς βασιλείας ἧς ἐπηγγείλατο τοῖς ἀγαπῶσιν αὐτόν Akousate mou agapētoi adelphoi ouch ho Theos exelexato tous ptōchous tō kosmō plousious en pistei kai klēronomous tēs basileias hēs epēngeilato tois agapōsin auton — NA/TR · 5
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But you have dishonored the poor. [Is it] not the rich who oppress you and drag you into court?
δὲ ὑμεῖς ἠτιμάσατε τὸν πτωχόν οὐχ οἱ πλούσιοι καταδυναστεύουσιν ὑμῶν καὶ αὐτοὶ ἕλκουσιν ὑμᾶς εἰς κριτήρια de hymeis ētimasate ton ptōchon ouch hoi plousioi katadynasteuousin hymōn kai autoi helkousin hymas eis kritēria — NA/TR · 6
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{Are} they not the ones who blaspheme the noble name by which you have been called?
αὐτοὶ οὐκ βλασφημοῦσιν τὸ καλὸν ὄνομα ἐφ’ ὑμᾶς τὸ ἐπικληθὲν autoi ouk blasphēmousin to kalon onoma eph’ hymas to epiklēthen — NA/TR · 7
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If vvv you really fulfill [the] royal law stated in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.
Εἰ μέντοι τελεῖτε βασιλικὸν νόμον κατὰ τὴν γραφήν Ἀγαπήσεις σου τὸν πλησίον ὡς σεαυτόν ποιεῖτε καλῶς Ei mentoi teleite basilikon nomon kata tēn graphēn Agapēseis sou ton plēsion hōs seauton poieite kalōs — NA/TR · 8
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But if you show favoritism, you sin [and] are convicted by the law as transgressors.
δὲ εἰ προσωπολημπτεῖτε ἐργάζεσθε ἁμαρτίαν ἐλεγχόμενοι ὑπὸ τοῦ νόμου ὡς παραβάται de ei prosōpolēmpteite ergazesthe hamartian elenchomenoi hypo tou nomou hōs parabatai — NA/TR · 9
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- Whoever keeps the whole law but stumbles at just one [point] is guilty of [breaking] all of it.
γὰρ Ὅστις τηρήσῃ τὸν ὅλον νόμον δὲ πταίσῃ ἐν ἑνί γέγονεν ἔνοχος πάντων gar Hostis tērēsē ton holon nomon de ptaisē en heni gegonen enochos pantōn — NA/TR · 10
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For He who said, vvv “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “vvv Do not murder.” If vvv you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become vvv a lawbreaker.
γὰρ ὁ εἰπών Μὴ μοιχεύσῃς καί εἶπεν Μὴ φονεύσῃς δὲ εἰ οὐ μοιχεύεις δέ φονεύεις γέγονας παραβάτης νόμου gar ho eipōn Mē moicheusēs kai eipen Mē phoneusēs de ei ou moicheueis de phoneueis gegonas parabatēs nomou — NA/TR · 11
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- Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by [the] law that gives freedom.
Οὕτως λαλεῖτε καὶ οὕτως ποιεῖτε ὡς μέλλοντες κρίνεσθαι διὰ νόμου ἐλευθερίας Houtōs laleite kai houtōs poieite hōs mellontes krinesthai dia nomou eleutherias — NA/TR · 12
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For judgment without mercy [ will be shown to ] anyone who vvv has not been merciful… Mercy triumphs over judgment.
γὰρ ἡ κρίσις ἀνέλεος τῷ μὴ ποιήσαντι ἔλεος ἔλεος κατακαυχᾶται κρίσεως gar hē krisis aneleos tō mē poiēsanti eleos eleos katakauchatai kriseōs — NA/TR · 13
Faith and Works
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What good [is it], my brothers, if someone claims to have faith, but has no deeds? vvv Can such faith save him?
Τί τὸ ὄφελος μου ἀδελφοί ἐὰν τις λέγῃ ἔχειν πίστιν δὲ ἔχῃ μὴ ἔργα μὴ δύναται ἡ πίστις σῶσαι αὐτόν Ti to ophelos mou adelphoi ean tis legē echein pistin de echē mē erga mē dynatai hē pistis sōsai auton — NA/TR · 14
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Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and - daily food.
ἐὰν ἀδελφὸς ἢ ἀδελφὴ ὑπάρχωσιν γυμνοὶ καὶ λειπόμενοι τῆς ἐφημέρου τροφῆς ean adelphos ē adelphē hyparchōsin gymnoi kai leipomenoi tēs ephēmerou trophēs — NA/TR · 15
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[If] one of you tells him, “Go in peace; stay warm and well fed, but {does} not provide for… [his] physical needs, what good [ is that ]?
δέ τις ἐξ ὑμῶν εἴπῃ αὐτοῖς Ὑπάγετε ἐν εἰρήνῃ θερμαίνεσθε καὶ χορτάζεσθε δὲ μὴ δῶτε αὐτοῖς τὰ τοῦ σώματος ἐπιτήδεια τί τὸ ὄφελος de tis ex hymōn eipē autois Hypagete en eirēnē thermainesthe kai chortazesthe de mē dōte autois ta tou sōmatos epitēdeia ti to ophelos — NA/TR · 16
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So too, faith by itself, if it does not result… in action, is dead.
οὕτως καὶ ἡ πίστις καθ’ ἑαυτήν ἐὰν ἔχῃ μὴ ἔργα ἐστιν νεκρά houtōs kai hē pistis kath’ heautēn ean echē mē erga estin nekra — NA/TR · 17
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But someone will say, “You have faith and I have deeds. Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you [my] faith by my deeds.
Ἀλλ’ τις ἐρεῖ Σὺ ἔχεις πίστιν κἀγὼ ἔχω ἔργα δεῖξόν μοι σου τὴν πίστιν χωρὶς τῶν ἔργων κἀγώ δείξω σοι τὴν πίστιν ἐκ μου τῶν ἔργων All’ tis erei Sy echeis pistin kagō echō erga deixon moi sou tēn pistin chōris tōn ergōn kagō deixō soi tēn pistin ek mou tōn ergōn — NA/TR · 18
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You believe that God is one. Good for you! Even the demons believe [that]— and shudder.
σὺ πιστεύεις ὅτι Θεός ἐστιν ὁ εἷς καλῶς ποιεῖς καὶ τὰ δαιμόνια πιστεύουσιν καὶ φρίσσουσιν sy pisteueis hoti Theos estin ho heis kalōs poieis kai ta daimonia pisteuousin kai phrissousin — NA/TR · 19
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O foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is worthless?
ὦ κενέ ἄνθρωπε δὲ Θέλεις γνῶναι ὅτι ἡ πίστις χωρὶς τῶν ἔργων ἐστιν ἀργή ō kene anthrōpe de Theleis gnōnai hoti hē pistis chōris tōn ergōn estin argē — NA/TR · 20
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{Was} not our father Abraham justified by what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?
οὐκ ἡμῶν ὁ πατὴρ Ἀβραὰμ ἐδικαιώθη ἐξ ἔργων ἀνενέγκας αὐτοῦ τὸν υἱὸν Ἰσαὰκ ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον ouk hēmōn ho patēr Abraam edikaiōthē ex ergōn anenenkas autou ton huion Isaak epi to thysiastērion — NA/TR · 21
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You see that [his] faith was working with his actions, and [his] faith was perfected by what he did.
βλέπεις ὅτι ἡ πίστις συνήργει αὐτοῦ τοῖς ἔργοις καὶ ἡ πίστις ἐτελειώθη ἐκ τῶν ἔργων blepeis hoti hē pistis synērgei autou tois ergois kai hē pistis eteleiōthē ek tōn ergōn — NA/TR · 22
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And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “- Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called a friend of God.
καὶ ἡ γραφὴ ἐπληρώθη ἡ λέγουσα δὲ Ἀβραὰμ Ἐπίστευσεν τῷ Θεῷ καὶ ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην καὶ ἐκλήθη φίλος Θεοῦ kai hē graphē eplērōthē hē legousa de Abraam Episteusen tō Theō kai elogisthē autō eis dikaiosynēn kai eklēthē philos Theou — NA/TR · 23
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As you can see -, a man is justified by [his] deeds and not by faith alone.
ὁρᾶτε ὅτι ἄνθρωπος δικαιοῦται ἐξ ἔργων καὶ οὐκ ἐκ πίστεως μόνον horate hoti anthrōpos dikaioutai ex ergōn kai ouk ek pisteōs monon — NA/TR · 24
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vvv In the same way, {was} not even Rahab the prostitute justified by her actions when she welcomed the spies and sent [them] off on another route?
δὲ Ὁμοίως οὐκ καὶ Ῥαὰβ ἡ πόρνη ἐδικαιώθη ἐξ ἔργων ὑποδεξαμένη τοὺς ἀγγέλους καὶ ἐκβαλοῦσα ἑτέρᾳ ὁδῷ de Homoiōs ouk kai Rhaab hē pornē edikaiōthē ex ergōn hypodexamenē tous angelous kai ekbalousa hetera hodō — NA/TR · 25
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- As the body without [the] spirit is dead, so - faith without deeds is dead.
γὰρ ὥσπερ τὸ σῶμα χωρὶς πνεύματος ἐστιν νεκρόν οὕτως καὶ ἡ πίστις χωρὶς ἔργων ἐστιν νεκρά gar hōsper to sōma chōris pneumatos estin nekron houtōs kai hē pistis chōris ergōn estin nekra — NA/TR · 26