James 2:4

4 have ye not made a difference among yourselves, and become judges having evil thoughts?

James 2:4 Meaning and Commentary

James 2:4

Are ye not then partial in yourselves
That is, guilty of such partiality as must appear to yourselves, and your own consciences must accuse you of; or do not ye distinguish, or make a difference among yourselves, by such a conduct, towards the rich and the poor:

and are become judges of evil thoughts;
or "are distinguishers by evil thoughts"; that is, make a distinction between the rich and the poor, by an evil way of thinking, that one is better than the other, and to be preferred before him.

James 2:4 In-Context

2 for if there come unto your synagogue a man with a gold ring in splendid apparel, and a poor man also come in in vile apparel,

3 and ye look upon him who wears the splendid apparel, and say, Do thou sit here well, and say to the poor, Do thou stand there, or sit here under my footstool:

4 have ye not made a difference among yourselves, and become judges having evil thoughts?

5 Hear, my beloved brethren: Has not God chosen the poor as to the world, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to them that love him?

6 But *ye* have despised the poor [man]. Do not the rich oppress you, and [do not] *they* drag you before [the] tribunals?

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit. 'of evil thoughts,' as we say, 'a man of corrupt habits.'