James 2:4

4 have you not made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with 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 someone enters into your assembly in fine clothing with a gold ring on his finger, and a poor person in filthy clothing also enters,

3 and you look favorably on the one wearing the fine clothing and you say, "Be seated here in a good place," and to the poor person you say, "You stand or be seated there by my footstool,"

4 have you not made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

5 Listen, my dear brothers! Did not God choose the poor of the world [to be] rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him?

6 But you have dishonored the poor! Are not the rich exploiting you and they themselves dragging you into the courts?