Modern Literal Version
[James 2]

     ^2:1 My brethren, do^* not have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, in variousfavoritisms. ^2:2 For^* if a man should enter into your^* congregation with a gold ring, in bright apparel and if a poor person in filthy apparel also should enter, ^2:3 you^* might look upon the one who is wearing the bright apparel and might say to him, You, sit here; good; and you^* might say to the poor person, You, stand there or sit here under my footstool. ^2:4 And have you^* not made distinction among yourselves and then became judges from evil reasonings?

     ^2:5 Listen^*, my beloved brethren. Did God not choose the poor of the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to those who love^* him? ^2:6 But you^* dishonored the poor. Are the rich not oppressing you^*? And are they themselves not dragging you^* into thecourts? ^2:7 Are they not blaspheming the good name, the one which was surnamed upon you^*?{Act 11:26}^2:8 Nevertheless, if you^* complete the royal law, according to the Scripture, 'You will love^* your neighbor like yourself,' you^* are doing^* well. {Lev 19:18}^2:9 But if you^* are showing-favoritism, you^* are working sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors.

     ^2:10 For^* whoever will be keeping the whole law and yet will trip in one point, he has become liable to all of it. ^2:11 For^* he who said, 'Do not commit adultery,' also said, 'Do not murder.' {Exo 20:13-14, Deu 5:17-18} But if you will not commit adultery, but yet you will commit murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. ^2:12 Speak^* so and practice^* so, as one who is about to be judged by the law of freedom. ^2:13 For^* the judgment is merciless to the one who did not practice mercy; mercy wins over judgment.

     ^2:14 My brethren, what is the profit, if someone says he has faith, but does not have works? Is that faith able to save him? ^2:15 But if a brother or sister is^* naked and may be deficient of daily nourishment, ^2:16 and anyone out of you^* may say to them, Proceed^* away in peace. Be^* warmed and be^* fully-fed, but do^* not give to them the body's requirements; what is the profit? ^2:17 So alsoyour faith, if it does not have works, is dead in itself.

     ^2:18 But someone will say, You have faith, and I have works. Show me your faith away from your works. I will also show you my faith from my works. ^2:19 You believe that God is one; you are doing^* well. The demons also believe and they are shuddering. ^2:20 But O vain man, are you willing to know that faith is dead without works?

     ^2:21 Was not Abraham our father made righteous from works, having offered up Isaac his son upon the altar? ^2:22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works and his faith was completed from his works? ^2:23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, 'And Abraham believed God and it was counted to him ^*for righteousness,' and he was called the friend of God.{Gen 15:6}^2:24 Now-then, are you^* seeing that a man is made righteous from works and not from faith only?

    ^2:25 Now likewise, was not Rahab the prostitute also made righteous from works, after she accepted the messengers and had put them out a different way? {Jos 2:1, 6:17, 23}^2:26 For^* just-like the body without a spirit is dead, so faith without works is also dead.

Modern Literal Version Preface & Appendix , copyright 1987, 1999, 2013 by G. Allen Walker for the MLV New Testament Committee.
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