James 2
1 My Family, have the faithfulness ofa our shining example,b Lord Jesus Christ, not preferential treatment of people with high status.c 2 If an individual wearing gold ringsd comes into your gathering placee in expensivef clothes and someone experiencing poverty comes in with filthy clothes, 3 do you give your attention to one wearing expensive clothes and say, “You are welcome to sit here,”g and say to the person experiencing poverty, “You stand there,” or “Sit under my footstool”?h 4 Have you not created separation between yourselves and become judges presiding over harmful deliberations?
5 Listen, my beloved Family! Didn’t God choose those who are in poverty within the world’s system to be wealthy with faithfulnessi and heirs of the Reign that was promised to those who love him? 6 But you have treated people experiencing poverty as worthless. Don’t wealthy people abuse their power over you and drag you into court? 7 Aren’t they utterly disrespecting the respectablej name given to you?k 8 Nevertheless, if you complete the royal Torah based on this scripture, “You will love your neighbor as yourself,”l you are doing well. 9 But if you give preferential treatment based on high status, you are producing deviation and are exposed by the Torah as sidesteppers. 10 You see, whoever pays attention to the whole Torah but stumbles with one thing has become liable for all of them 11 since the one who said, “Do not engage in marital unfaithfulness,”m also said, “Do not murder.”n If you don’t engage in marital unfaithfulness but still murder, you have sidestepped Torah. 12 Speak like and act like people who are going to be assessed based on a Torah of freedom. 13 The legal sentence that is without compassion is for those who didn’t practice compassion.o Compassion prides itself in being above the sentence.p
14 My Family, what is the benefit if someone claims to have trustq but doesn’t have actions? Can that trust liberate them? 15 If a poorly dressed brother or sister starts the day and food is lacking, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go peacefully. Stay warm and eat well,” but doesn’t give them what their body needs, what is the benefit? 17 That’s how trust is too; if it doesn’t have actions, it’s dead by itself. 18 Nevertheless, someone will say, “You have trust,r and I have actions.” Show me your trust with actions, and I will show you trust by my actions. 19 You trust that God is one;s you’re doing well. Demons also trust it and are terrified.
20 Do you want to learn, you purposeless person, that trust without actions is useless? 21 Wasn’t our fathert Abraham shown to be in alignmentu by actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see, trust was working together with his actions, and trust was made complete by his actions. 23 And the scripture was lived outv that says, “Abraham faithfully trusted God, and it was credited to him as justness,”w x and he was called ‘God’s friend’y 24 You see, a person is shown to be just by actions and not by trust alone. 25 Similarly, wasn’t Rahab (the one who was a sex worker) also shown to be just by actions when she welcomed the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 Like the body without the Life-breath is dead, trust without actions is also dead in the same way.
FOOTNOTES:
a The Greek would most likely be ‘faithfulness of’ (or possibly ‘trust of’) here rather than the traditional ‘faith in.’ The construction is different than that places that could possibly be translated with the English ‘in’ which usually include the Greek preposition eis or at least the object of trust being in the dative case form. This example has neither, instead being in the genitive case form, most likely indicating a possession or quality of Christ.
b This word is traditionally, ‘glorious.’ It has to do with being praiseworthy in a public and noticeable way. ‘Renowned for praiseworthiness’ could be another way to translate it.
c Traditionally, ‘partiality.’ However, this word is more specific than simply not showing preference or favoritism to anyone. The word has to do with directing that favoritism toward people with impressive outward appearance and high social status. Compare with Matthew 22:16.
d Literally, ‘a gold-ringed individual’
e This word is sunagoge, where the word ‘synagogue’ comes from. It came to be used specifically of Jewish gathering places (‘synagogues’) but was used more generally during this time.
f Or ‘luxurious’ or ‘exorbitant’
g Literally, ‘You sit here well’ (as a directive), probably indicating a seat of honor.
h This is the most literal translation. Another option would be ‘Sit on the floor’ or ‘Sit below me.’ The word translated ‘footstool’ (hupopodion) meant literally a piece of furniture that was ‘under-foot’ and was used metaphorically of conquered enemies when the conquering ruler would place his foot on their necks as a sign of subjugation. It’s use in this verse is intentionally highlighting how degrading such a response would be.
i Or ‘trust’
j Or ‘beautiful,’ having to do with an admirable and positive quality that others may observe. Traditionally, ‘good.’
k Literally, ‘the kind/good/generous name that was named on you.’
l Leviticus 19:18 (but the whole context of verses 9-18 is relevant)
m Quotation of Exodus 20:14 and Deuteronomy 5:18. More literally, the Greek here would be translated as ‘You shouldn’t engage in marital infidelity.’ It is not in the mandative form; it’s in the subjunctive mood form.
n Quotation of Exodus 20:13 and Deuteronomy 5:17. More literally, the Greek here would be translated as ‘You shouldn’t murder.’ It is not in the mandative form; it’s in the subjunctive mood form.
o The meaning of ‘mercy’ has shifted since that originally became the traditional rendering here. The Hebrew word this Greek word (eleos) is used to translate is hesed, which could have volumes written about it. Something along the lines of ‘loyal love,’ ‘covenant faithfulness,’ ‘lovingkindness,’ ‘committed love/kindness.’ It carries a commitment to pursue good for others based in care. Empathy is related, but only part of what’s in view. Compassion is related but only part of what’s in view. Help is related but only part of what’s in view.
p Or ‘allegiance’ or ‘commitment’ or ‘faithfulness’
q The Greek here is adelphos e adelphe, literally, ‘brother or sister,’ confirming all genders have been in view each time it says ‘individual’ translating the Greek aner which could also be translated as ‘man.’
r Or ‘allegiance’ or ‘commitment’ or ‘faithfulness’
s Reference to Deuteronomy 6:4-5
t Or ‘ancestor’
u Or ‘just’ or ‘in alignment with Torah’ or ‘in alignment with the Path of the Lord’
v Or ‘made full’
w Or ‘in alignment with the Path of the Lord/Torah’
x Quotation of Genesis 15:6
y No specific quotation exists, but it’s a reference to 2 Chronicles 20:7, Isaiah 41:8, Isaiah 51:2, and Daniel 3:35. Interestingly, the word means someone who cares for another, so it’s not that God cares for or accepts Abraham, but the word means that Abraham cares for God.