| American Standard Version (ASV) |
New International Version (NIV) |
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1 My brethren, hold not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, [the Lord] of glory, with respect of persons.
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1 My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism.
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2 For if there come into your synagogue a man with a gold ring, in fine clothing, and there come in also a poor man in vile clothing;
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2 Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in.
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3 and ye have regard to him that weareth the fine clothing, and say, Sit thou here in a good place; and ye say to the poor man, Stand thou there, or sit under my footstool;
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3 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,"
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4 Do ye not make distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?
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4 have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
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5 Hearken, my beloved brethren; did not God choose them that are poor as to the world [to be] rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to them that love him?
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5 Listen, my dear brothers: 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?
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6 But ye have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you, and themselves drag you before the judgment-seats?
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6 But you have insulted the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court?
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7 Do not they blaspheme the honorable name by which ye are called?
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7 Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom you belong?
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8 Howbeit if ye fulfil the royal law, according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well:
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8 If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing right.
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9 but if ye have respect of persons, ye commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors.
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9 But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.
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10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one [point], he is become guilty of all.
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10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.
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11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou dost not commit adultery, but killest, thou art become a transgressor of the law.
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11 For he who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.
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12 So speak ye, and so do, as men that are to be judged by a law of liberty.
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12 Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom,
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13 For judgment [is] without mercy to him that hath showed no mercy: mercy glorieth against judgment.
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13 because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!
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14 What doth it profit, my brethren, if a man say he hath faith, but have not works? can that faith save him?
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14 What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?
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15 If a brother or sister be naked and in lack of daily food,
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15 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.
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16 and one of you say unto them, Go in peace, be ye warmed and filled; and yet ye give them not the things needful to the body; what doth it profit?
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16 If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?
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17 Even so faith, if it have not works, is dead in itself.
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17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
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18 Yea, a man will say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith apart from [thy] works, and I by my works will show thee [my] faith.
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18 But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.
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19 Thou believest that God is one; thou doest well: the demons also believe, and shudder.
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19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that--and shudder.
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20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith apart from works is barren?
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20 You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless ?
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21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son upon the altar?
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21 Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?
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22 Thou seest that faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect;
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22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.
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23 and the scripture was fulfilled which saith, And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness; and he was called the friend of God.
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23 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.
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24 Ye see that by works a man is justified, and not only by faith.
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24 You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.
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25 And in like manner was not also Rahab the harlot justified by works, in that she received the messengers, and sent them out another way?
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25 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?
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26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, even so faith apart from works is dead.
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26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
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| The American Standard Version is in the public domain. (The American Standard Version Bible Online) |
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide. (New International Version Bible Online) |
