James 2:1-13 - Partiality Forbidden

¹ MY brethren, hold not the faith of our glorious Lord Jesus shewing a respect for persons. ² For if there come into your congregation a man with a gold ring, and in splendid apparel, and there come in also a poor man in a sordid garb; ³ and ye fix your eyes upon him who bears the splendid robe, and say to him, Sit thou here in an honourable place; and ye say to the poor man, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: ⁴ are you not thus partial among yourselves, and form your decision from bad reasonings?

⁵ Hear me, my beloved brethren. Hath not God elected the poor of this world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which God hath promised to those who love him; ⁶ but ye have put contempt on the poor man? Do not the rich men tyrannize over you? and they drag you to the tribunals. ⁷ Do they not blaspheme that honourable name by which ye are called?

⁸ If indeed ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: ⁹ but if ye have respect of persons, ye commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors. ¹⁰ For whosoever shall keep the whole law, but offendeth in a single particular, he is chargeable with the breach of all. ¹¹ For he that said, Thou shalt not commit adultery, said also, Thou shalt not commit murder. Now if thou dost not commit adultery, yet dost commit murder, thou art a transgressor of the law.

¹² So speak, and so act, as those who shall be judged by the law of liberty. ¹³ For judgment without mercy shall be on him who shewed no mercy, and mercy glorieth against judgment.