James 2:1-13

The Sin of Partiality

1 My brothers,[a]1show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, 2the Lord of glory.
2 For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in,
3 and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, "You sit here in a good place,"3while you say to the poor man, "You stand over there," or, "Sit down at my feet,"
4 have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become 4judges with evil thoughts?
5 Listen, my beloved brothers, 5has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be 6rich in faith and heirs of 7the kingdom, 8which he has promised to those who love him?
6 But you 9have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who 10drag you 11into court?
7 Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable 12name by which you were called?
8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, 13"You shall love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing well.
9 But if you 14show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
10 For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point 15has become accountable for all of it.
11 For he who said, 16"Do not commit adultery," also said, 17"Do not murder." If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.
12 So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under 18the law of liberty.
13 For 19judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

James 2:1-13 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JAMES 2

In this chapter the apostle dissuades from a respect of persons, on account of outward circumstances; shows that the law is to be fulfilled, and that mercy is to be exercised, as well as justice done; and exposes the folly of such who boast of faith without works: he dissuades the saints from all partiality to the rich and poor, from their relation to one another, as brethren, and from their common faith, of which Christ, the Lord of glory, is the object, Jas 2:1 supposes an instance of it, either in a court of judicature, or a religious assembly, Jas 2:2,3 and then makes an appeal unto them, and expostulates with them about it, Jas 2:4 and makes use of an argument against it, taken from the divine conduct, and an instance of his grace in the choice of persons to eternal life, Jas 2:5 a conduct very different from some persons here blamed, Jas 2:6, and other arguments follow, dissuading from a respect of persons, taken from the characters of rich men, as oppressors of the poor, litigious and quarrelsome with their neighbours, and blasphemers of the name of God, Jas 2:7 and from the law of God, which requires the love of the neighbour, and which to fulfil is to do well, Jas 2:8 and from the breach of it, by having respect to persons, whereby its penalty is incurred, Jas 2:9 for which a reason is given; because whoever offends in one point of the law, is guilty of the whole, Jas 2:10 as is a clear case, since the same lawgiver that forbids one sin, forbids another; so that he that is guilty of either of them is a transgressor of the law, Jas 2:11 wherefore it is right both to speak and act according to it, since men will be judged by it, Jas 2:12 and he will have no mercy shown him that has shown none to the poor, but merciful ones will escape damnation, Jas 2:13 and then the apostle argues from the unprofitableness of faith itself without works, Jas 2:14 and which he exemplifies in the case of a poor brother or sister who are wished well, but nothing given them; which good words, without deeds, are of no profit, Jas 2:15,16 so in like manner, faith without works is a dead faith, Jas 2:17 nor indeed can it be made out that a man has faith, if he has not works, Jas 2:18 at least such a faith as has justification and salvation connected with it; his faith, at most, is no better than that of the devils, who are damned, Jas 2:19 and that such a faith is a dead faith, Jas 2:2 and that true faith is attended with, and evidenced by works, the apostle proves by two instances; the one is that of Abraham, whose faith appeared to be genuine, and he to be a justified person, by the works he did; particularly by offering up his son Isaac; in which way his faith operated, and showed itself to be sincere and hearty; and the Scripture was fulfilled that Abraham was a believer; and had righteousness imputed to him, and was a friend of God, and a justified person, Jas 2:21-24 and the other instance is that of Rahab, whose faith was also shown by her works, and so a justified person, by receiving the spies with peace, and dismissing them with safety, Jas 2:25, and then the apostle explains what he means, by saying more than once, that faith without works is dead; which he illustrates by the simile of a man's body being dead, without the spirit or soul in it, Jas 2:26.

Cross References 19

  • 1. ver. 9; Leviticus 19:15; Deuteronomy 1:17; Deuteronomy 16:19; Proverbs 24:23; Romans 2:11; Ephesians 6:9
  • 2. 1 Corinthians 2:8; [Acts 7:2]
  • 3. [Proverbs 18:23]
  • 4. John 7:24
  • 5. 1 Corinthians 1:27, 28; [Job 34:19]
  • 6. 2 Corinthians 8:9; Revelation 2:9; See Luke 12:21
  • 7. Matthew 5:3; Luke 6:20; Luke 12:32
  • 8. See James 1:12
  • 9. [1 Corinthians 11:22]
  • 10. Acts 16:19
  • 11. Acts 8:3; Acts 17:6; Acts 18:12; [James 5:6]
  • 12. [Isaiah 63:19; Isaiah 65:1; Amos 9:12; Acts 15:17]
  • 13. Cited from Leviticus 19:18
  • 14. ver. 1
  • 15. Matthew 5:19; Galatians 3:10
  • 16. Cited from Exodus 20:14, 13
  • 17. Cited from Exodus 20:14, 13
  • 18. See James 1:25
  • 19. Job 22:6-11; Psalms 18:25, 26; Proverbs 21:13; Ezekiel 25:11-14; Matthew 6:15; Matthew 18:32-35; Luke 6:38

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Or brothers and sisters; also verses 5, 14
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.