James 2:1-13 - Partiality Forbidden

¹ My brethren, hold not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, in a partial respect of persons. ² For if there come into your synagogue a man with a gold ring in fine clothes, and there come in also a poor man in a mean habit; ³ and ye turn your eyes toward him that weareth the fine clothes, and say to him, Sit thou here in an honorable place; and say to the poor man, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: ⁴ do ye not make a partial difference within yourselves, and become judges that reason wickedly?

⁵ Hear, my beloved brethren; hath not God chosen the poor of this world who are rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom, which He hath promised to them that love Him? but ye have slighted the poor. ⁶ Do not the rich tyrannize over you; and drag you to their tribunals? ⁷ Do they not blaspheme the glorious name by which ye are called?

⁸ If ye fulfil the royal law, according to the scripture, which saith, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well. ⁹ But if ye partially respect persons, ye commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors. ¹⁰ For whosoever shall keep the whole law besides, but offend in one point, he is under the penalty of all: ¹¹ for He that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou do not commit adultery, but committest murder, thou art a transgressor of the law.

¹² So speak, and so act, as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. ¹³ For he shall have judgement without mercy, that hath not shewn mercy: but mercy triumpheth over judgement.