James 2 – NIV & CCB

New International Version

James 2:1-26

Favoritism Forbidden

1My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. 2Suppose 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 with evil thoughts?

5Listen, 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? 6But 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? 7Are 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,”2:8 Lev. 19:18 you are doing right. 9But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. 10For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. 11For he who said, “You shall not commit adultery,”2:11 Exodus 20:14; Deut. 5:18 also said, “You shall not murder.”2:11 Exodus 20:13; Deut. 5:17 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 by the law that gives freedom, 13because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. 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? Can such faith save them? 15Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16If 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? 17In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

18But 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. 19You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.

20You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless2:20 Some early manuscripts dead? 21Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,”2:23 Gen. 15:6 and he was called God’s friend. 24You 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? 26As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

Chinese Contemporary Bible 2022 (Simplified)

雅各书 2:1-26

不可以貌取人

1我的弟兄姊妹,你们既然信了我们荣耀的主耶稣基督,就不可以貌取人。 2比方说,一个手戴金饰、衣着华丽的人来参加你们的聚会,一个衣衫褴褛的人也来参加, 3你们就看重那衣着华丽的,对他说:“请上座。”却对那穷人说:“你站在那边。”或“坐在我的脚凳边。” 4你们这样做难道不是偏心待人,心怀恶意地判断人吗?

5我亲爱的弟兄姊妹,请听我说,上帝不是拣选了世上的穷人,使他们在信心上富足,并承受祂应许赐给那些爱祂之人的国度吗? 6你们反倒侮辱穷人。难道欺压你们、抓你们上法庭的不是那些有钱人吗? 7不正是他们亵渎你们所敬奉的尊名吗?

8你们如果能切实行出圣经中“要爱邻如己”2:8 利未记19:18这条至尊的律法,就对了。 9你们如果以貌取人,便是犯罪,被律法定为违法者。 10人遵守律法,就要全部遵守,他只要触犯律法中的一条,就等于干犯了全部, 11因为那位说“不可通奸”2:11 出埃及记20:14申命记5:18的,也说过“不可杀人”2:11 出埃及记20:13申命记5:17。如果你没有犯通奸罪,却杀了人,你仍违背了律法。 12既然你们要按使人自由的律法受审判,就应该按律法行事为人。 13因为不怜悯人的会受到无情的审判,但怜悯胜过审判。

信心和行为

14我的弟兄姊妹,如果有人自称有信心,却没有行为,有什么用呢?这种信心能够救他吗? 15如果有弟兄姊妹缺衣少食, 16你们只是对他们说:“安心走吧,愿你们穿得暖,吃得饱”,却不帮助他们解决实际困难,这有什么用呢? 17因此,信心若没有行为,就是死的。

18必有人说:“你有信心,我有行为。”请把你没有行为的信心指给我看,我就用行为把我的信心显给你看。 19你相信上帝只有一位,你信得没错,鬼魔也相信,而且恐惧颤抖。

20愚蠢的人啊,你们不知道没有行为的信心毫无用处吗? 21我们的祖先亚伯拉罕把儿子以撒献在祭坛上的时候,难道不是因行为被称为义人吗? 22可见他的信心和行为相称,而且信心要有行为才是完全的。 23这正应验了圣经的记载:“亚伯拉罕信上帝,就被算为义人”2:23 创世记15:6,并且被称为“上帝的朋友”。 24可见人被称为义人是因行为,并非单因信心。 25还有妓女喇合,她收留使者,把他们藏在家里,又送他们从别的路逃生,不也是因行为被称为义人吗?

26身体没有灵魂是死的,同样,信心没有行为也是死的。