James 2

 

1 My brethren, regard not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, to have (any partiality or) respect of persons.

 

2 For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring, in splendid apparel, and a poor man comes in also with shabby (or filthy) clothing;

 

3 And you have respect for (and look upon) him that wears the splendid apparel (with partiality) saying to him, sit here in the place of honor; and you say to the poor man (looking upon him as beneath you), stand over there or sit here under my footrest (in the place of dishonor):

 

4 Are you not then judging (with partiality between the two) within your own hearts and have you not made yourselves out to be judges with evil (envious and harassing) thoughts (judging unjustly according to appearances and not righteously by the faith of Jesus Christ)?

 

5 Listen, my beloved brethren, has not God chosen the poor (in spirit) in this world (those who see they have no ability to serve themselves with His life and immortality to be) made rich in the faith (of Jesus Christ) and heirs of (God and) the kingdom which He has promised (from the beginning) to them that love Him?

 

6 But you have dishonored (and rejected) the (ones who the world esteems as) poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and drag you (into court) before judges seats?

 

7 Do they not slander the name (of Christ Jesus our Lord) that is worthy of all honor (and glory) by which (name) you are called (unto the same honor and glory)?

 

8 If you actually fulfil the royal (chief) law outwardly according to the scripture, “You will love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well:

 

9 But if you have respect (and partiality) of persons (in your heart), you do trespass (falling short of the spirit contained in the law, that declares that royal life which the Father has promised to serve you with) and you will judge (yourself) by the law as transgressors (because you are looking to your own strength instead of continuing to do the work of resting in Him to give you His blessing and life as an inheritance).

 

10 For the one who truly desires to keep the whole law, and yet stumbles in one point (is not continuing in the work of resting in the perfect law of liberty), he is bound by (judging and condemning himself of) all.

 

11 For the One that said, you will not commit adultery, said also, you will not kill. Now if you do not commit adultery, but you kill, you have become a transgressor (and you will judge yourself guilty) of the (whole) law.

 

12 So speak and so continue to do the work (of resting in the promise), as those who will be judged (justly) by the perfect law of liberty (which is the word of promise made immortal flesh in the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ).

 

13 For he who has a judgment (in his heart that is) apart from (continuing to rest in the) mercy (and love of the Father to serve him with His blessing and life as a gift), that judgment will not produce mercy (in his heart but will condemn him); (however, the heart of the one who continues resting in) His judgment boasts (loudly) of (His) mercy.

 

14 My brethren, what does it profit a man that although he may say I have faith, does not do (the one thing needful, which is) the work, (of looking to the faith of Jesus Christ to father his life, which provides him everything that he needs to partake of His life and Godlikeness)? Is that faith alone (apart from doing the work of allowing himself to be persuaded by it) able to save him (from the death and calamity in the world and raise him from the grave immortal)?

 

15 If a brother or sister be naked, destitute (and lacking) of daily food,

 

16 And one of you say to them, go in peace, be warmed and filled (with food); nevertheless, you do not give them the things which are needful to the body; what does it profit (them in their lack of food and clothing)?

 

17 Even so (saying I have) the faith, apart from the work (of allowing your heart to be persuaded by the faith of Jesus Christ, where you see with certainty that the Father of the Word of life has provided you all that is needful for you to partake of His indestructible life) is (such a faith) dead, being alone.

 

18 But someone might say you have faith, and I have works: (but) show me (how) the faith that you have (is able to save you from the corruption and death in the world) apart from the work (of being persuaded by the Father’s good work; the word that was made immortal flesh in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and I will show you the faith (that dwells) in my heart by my work (which is to do the work of continuing to look to the certainty contained in that word made immortal flesh whereby I rest from my own works to justify myself unto His life and immortality).

 

19 You believe that there is one God; you do well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

 

20 But do you desire to know (the truth), O (foolish) vain man, that (such a) faith (by itself) without the work (of allowing yourself to be persuaded that you do not need to preserve your own life) is dead (and void of power)?

 

21 Was not Abraham our father justified (as the father of many nations) by (continuing in) the work (of being persuaded that the One who promised was also able to perform it), when he had offered Isaac his son (through whom the seed would come) upon the altar?

 

22 Do you see how the faith (that was made immortal flesh in the resurrection of Jesus) shaped his work, and through the work (of being persuaded that death could not prevent God from preserving the promise seed eternally) was the faith made perfect (in Abraham)?

 

23 And the scripture was fulfilled which said, Abraham believed God (considering not the weakness contained in his dying flesh but he rejoiced in seeing Jesus day and the strength that was revealed in the Father’s hand in His resurrection from the dead), and (the faith that dwelled in his heart) was proven to be the thing (whereby he would appear) unto the life (and immortality) of God: and he was fully persuaded by God’s invitation (considering Him) to be his friend.

 

24 You see then that it is by (continuing in) the work (of looking to and being persuaded by the word the Father has spoken and was made immortal flesh in Jesus that) a man is justified (from death’s accusation and will appear in His life and immortality), and not by faith alone.

 

25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by the work (of being persuaded), when (destruction was going to come to her house) she (having heard the faith through the children of Israel when they were in Egypt, was not a forgetful hearer but remembered and believed that the power for her to overcome this destruction is found in the strength of God’s hands and not her own so that when she) had received the messengers, and sent them out another way (she hung a scarlet thread outside her window which declared her testimony that God will cause death to pass over me by the strength of His hand by the blood of His lamb)?

 

26 For just as the body without the spirit is (subject to) death, so is the faith apart from the work (of continuing to allowing yourself to be persuaded) dead (being powerless to preserve your life from the death and corruption in the world).