My brethren, {Or, do ye, in accepting persons, hold the faith glory?}hold not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.
For if there come into your {Or, assembly Compare Hebrews 10:25 (Greek)}synagogue a man with a gold ring, in fine clothing, and there come in also a poor man in vile clothing;
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;
{Or, are ye not divided}do ye not make distinctions {Or, in your own mind}among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?
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?
But ye have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you, and themselves drag you before the judgment-seats?
Do not they blaspheme the honorable name {Greek: which was called upon you? See Acts 15:17.}by which ye are called?
Howbeit if ye fulfil the royal law, according to the scripture, {Leviticus 19:18.}Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well:
but if ye have respect of persons, ye commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors.
For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is become guilty of all.
For he that said, {Exodus 20:13 f. Deuteronomy 5:17 f. }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.
So speak ye, and so do, as men that are to be judged by a law of liberty.
For judgment is without mercy to him that hath showed no mercy: mercy glorieth against judgment.
What doth it profit, my brethren, if a man say he hath faith, but have not works? can that faith save him?
If a brother or sister be naked and in lack of daily food,
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?
Even so faith, if it have not works, is dead in itself.
{Or, But some one will say}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.
Thou believest that {Some ancient authorities read there is one God.}God is one; thou doest well: the demons also believe, and shudder.
But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith apart from works is barren?
Was not Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son upon the altar?
{Or, Seest thou…perfect?}Thou seest that faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect;
and the scripture was fulfilled which saith, {Genesis 15:6}And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness; {Isaiah 41:8; 2 Chronicles 20:7}and he was called the friend of God.
Ye see that by works a man is justified, and not only by faith.
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?
For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, even so faith apart from works is dead.
Querverweise zu Jakobus 2,8 Jak 2,8
So speak ye, and so do, as men that are to be judged by a law of liberty.
Thou shalt not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people; but thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself: I am Jehovah.
Thou believest that {Some ancient authorities read there is one God.}God is one; thou doest well: the demons also believe, and shudder.
But he that looketh into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and so continueth, being not a hearer that forgetteth but a doer that worketh, this man shall be blessed in his doing.
The stranger that sojourneth with you shall be unto you as the home-born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were sojourners in the land of Egypt: I am Jehovah your God.
But Jehovah said unto David my father, Whereas it was in thy heart to build a house for my name, thou didst well that it was in thy heart:
But ye are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that ye may show forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
{Or, And a second is like unto it, Thou shalt love &c.}And a second like unto it is this, {Leviticus 19:18.}Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
Then they said one to another, We do not well; this day is a day of good tidings, and we hold our peace: if we tarry till the morning light, {Or, our iniquity will find us out}punishment will overtake us; now therefore come, let us go and tell the king's household.
The second is this, {Leviticus 19:18.}Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
And the scribe said unto him, Of a truth, Teacher, thou hast well said that he is one; and there is none other but he:
and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is much more than all whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices.
And Jehovah said, {Or, Art thou greatly angry?}Doest thou well to be angry?
And he answering said, {Deuteronomy 6:5.}Thou shalt love the Lord thy God {Greek: from.}with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; {Leviticus 19:18}and thy neighbor as thyself.
And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.
But he, desiring to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbor?
Jesus made answer and said, A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho; and he fell among robbers, who both stripped him and beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead.
And by chance a certain priest was going down that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
And in like manner a Levite also, when he came to the place, and saw him, passed by on the other side.
But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he was moved with compassion,
and came to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring on them oil and wine; and he set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
And on the morrow he took out two {See marginal note on chapter 7:41.}shillings, and gave them to the host, and said, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, I, when I come back again, will repay thee.
Which of these three, thinkest thou, proved neighbor unto him that fell among the robbers?
And he said, He that showed mercy on him. And Jesus said unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.
And God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd? And he said, I do well to be angry, even unto death.
Owe no man anything, save to love one another: for he that loveth {Greek: the other. Compare 1 Corinthians 6:1; 10:24; Galatians 6:4.}his neighbor hath fulfilled the law.
His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful {Greek: bondservant.}servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will set thee over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
For this, {Exodus 20:13 ff; Deuteronomy 5:17 ff.}Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not covet, and if there be any other commandment, it is summed up in this word, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful {Greek: bondservant.}servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will set thee over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: {Leviticus 19:18.}Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
Howbeit ye did well that ye had fellowship with my affliction.
Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
But concerning love of the brethren ye have no need that one write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another;