雅各伯书 2

1My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ of glory with respect of persons.

2For if there shall come into your assembly a man having a golden ring, in fine apparel, and there shall come in also a poor man in mean attire,

3And you have respect to him that is clothed with the fine apparel, and shall say to him: Sit thou here well; but say to the poor man: Stand thou there, or sit under my footstool:

4Do you not judge within yourselves, and are become judges of unjust thoughts?

5Hearken, my dearest brethren: hath not God chosen the poor in this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which God hath promised to them that love him?

6But you have dishonoured the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you by might? and do not they draw you before the judgment seats?

7Do not they blaspheme the good name that is invoked upon you?

8If then you fulfill the royal law, according to the scriptures, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself; you do well.

9But if you have respect to persons, you commit sin, being reproved by the law as transgressors.

10And whosoever shall keep the whole law, but offend in one point, is become guilty of all.

11For he that said, Thou shalt not commit adultery, said also, Thou shalt not kill. Now if thou do not commit adultery, but shalt kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.

12So speak ye, and so do, as being to be judged by the law of liberty.

13For judgment without mercy to him that hath not done mercy. And mercy exalteth itself above judgment.

14What shall it profit, my brethren, if a man say he hath faith, but hath not works? Shall faith be able to save him?

15And if a brother or sister be naked, and want daily food:

16And one of you say to them: Go in peace, be ye warmed and filled; yet give them not those things that are necessary for the body, what shall it profit?

17So faith also, if it have not works, is dead in itself.

18But some man will say: Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without works; and I will shew thee, by works, my faith.

19Thou believest that there is one God. Thou dost well: the devils also believe and tremble.

20But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

21Was not Abraham our father justified by works, offering up Isaac his son upon the altar?

22Seest thou, that faith did co-operate with his works; and by works faith was made perfect?

23And the scripture was fulfilled, saying: Abraham believed God, and it was reputed to him to justice, and he was called the friend of God.

24Do you see that by works a man is justified; and not by faith only?

25And in like manner also Rahab the harlot, was not she justified by works, receiving the messengers, and sending them out another way?

26For even as the body without the spirit is dead; so also faith without works is dead.

1Fratres mei, nolite in personarum acceptione habere fidem Domini nostri Jesu Christi gloriæ.

2Etenim si introierit in conventum vestrum vir aureum annulum habens in veste candida, introierit autem et pauper in sordido habitu,

3et intendatis in eum qui indutus est veste præclara, et dixeritis ei: Tu sede hic bene: pauperi autem dicatis: Tu sta illic; aut sede sub scabello pedum meorum:

4nonne judicatis apud vosmetipsos, et facti estis judices cogitationum iniquarum?

5Audite, fratres mei dilectissimi: nonne Deus elegit pauperes in hoc mundo, divites in fide, et hæredes regni, quod repromisit Deus diligentibus se?

6vos autem exhonorastis pauperem. Nonne divites per potentiam opprimunt vos, et ipsi trahunt vos ad judicia?

7nonne ipsi blasphemant bonum nomen, quod invocatum est super vos?

8Si tamen legem perficitis regalem secundum Scripturas: Diliges proximum tuum sicut teipsum: bene facitis:

9si autem personas accipitis, peccatum operamini, redarguti a lege quasi transgressores.

10Quicumque autem totam legem servaverit, offendat autem in uno, factus est omnium reus.

11Qui enim dixit: Non mœchaberis, dixit et: Non occides. Quod si non mœchaberis, occides autem, factus es transgressor legis.

12Sic loquimini, et sic facite sicut per legem libertatis incipientes judicari.

13Judicium enim sine misericordia illi qui non fecit misericordiam: superexaltat autem misericordia judicium.

14Quid proderit, fratres mei, si fidem quis dicat se habere, opera autem non habeat? numquid poterit fides salvare eum?

15Si autem frater et soror nudi sint, et indigeant victu quotidiano,

16dicat autem aliquis ex vobis illis: Ite in pace, calefacimini et saturamini: non dederitis autem eis quæ necessaria sunt corpori, quid proderit?

17Sic et fides, si non habeat opera, mortua est in semetipsa.

18Sed dicet quis: Tu fidem habes, et ego opera habeo: ostende mihi fidem tuam sine operibus: et ego ostendam tibi ex operibus fidem meam.

19Tu credis quoniam unus est Deus: bene facis: et dæmones credunt, et contremiscunt.

20Vis autem scire, o homo inanis, quoniam fides sine operibus mortua est?

21Abraham pater noster nonne ex operibus justificatus est, offerens Isaac filium suum super altare?

22Vides quoniam fides cooperabatur operibus illius: et ex operibus fides consummata est?

23Et suppleta est Scriptura, dicens: Credidit Abraham Deo, et reputatum est illi ad justitiam, et amicus Dei appellatus est.

24Videtis quoniam ex operibus justificatur homo, et non ex fide tantum?

25Similiter et Rahab meretrix, nonne ex operibus justificata est, suscipiens nuntios, et alia via ejiciens?

26Sicut enim corpus sine spiritu mortuum est, ita et fides sine operibus mortua est.

1My brothers, within the glorious faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, do not choose to show favoritism toward persons.

2For if a man has entered your assembly having a gold ring and splendid apparel, and if a poor man has also entered, in dirty clothing,

3and if you are then attentive to the one who is clothed in excellent apparel, so that you say to him, “You may sit in this good place,” but you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit below my footstool,”

4are you not judging within yourselves, and have you not become judges with unjust thoughts?

5My most beloved brothers, listen. Has not God chosen the poor in this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that God has promised to those who love him?

6But you have dishonored the poor. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you through power? And are not they the ones who drag you to judgment?

7Are not they the ones who blaspheme the good name which has been invoked over you?

8So if you perfect the regal law, according to the Scriptures, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” then you do well.

9But if you show favoritism to persons, then you commit a sin, having been convicted again by the law as transgressors.

10Now whoever has observed the whole law, yet who offends in one matter, has become guilty of all.

11For he who said, “You shall not commit adultery,” also said, “You shall not kill.” So if you do not commit adultery, but you kill, you have become a transgressor of the law.

12So speak and act just as you are beginning to be judged, by the law of liberty.

13For judgment is without mercy toward him who has not shown mercy. But mercy exalts itself above judgment.

14My brothers, what benefit is there if someone claims to have faith, but he does not have works? How would faith be able to save him?

15So if a brother or sister is naked and daily in need of food,

16and if anyone of you were to say to them: “Go in peace, keep warm and nourished,” and yet not give them the things that are necessary for the body, of what benefit is this?

17Thus even faith, if it does not have works, is dead, in and of itself.

18Now someone may say: “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without works! But I will show you my faith by means of works.

19You believe that there is one God. You do well. But the demons also believe, and they tremble greatly.

20So then, are you willing to understand, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?

21Was not our father Abraham justified by means of works, by offering his son Isaac upon the altar?

22Do you see that faith was cooperating with his works, and that by means of works faith was brought to fulfillment?

23And so the Scripture was fulfilled which says: “Abraham believed God, and it was reputed to him unto justice.” And so he was called the friend of God.

24Do you see that a man is justified by means of works, and not by faith alone?

25Similarly also, Rahab, the harlot, was she not justified by works, by receiving the messengers and sending them out through another way?

26For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.