Epistula Iacobi

Iacobi, chapter 2, Vulgate and King James Version

Chapter 2 Vulgate

   1 Fratres mei, nolite in persona rum acceptione habere fidem Domini nostri Iesu Christi gloriae.
   2 Etenim, si introierit in synagogam vestram vir aureum anulum habens in veste candida, introierit autem et pauper in sordido habitu,
   3 et intendatis in eum, qui indutus est veste praeclara, et dixeritis: "Tu sede hic bene ", pauperi autem dicatis: "Tu sta illic aut sede sub scabello meo";
   4 nonne iudicatis apud vosmetipsos et facti estis iudices cogitationum iniquarum?
   5 Audite, fratres mei dilectissimi. Nonne Deus elegit, qui pauperes sunt mundo, divites in fide et heredes regni, quod repromisit diligentibus se?
   6 Vos autem exhonorastis pauperem. Nonne divites opprimunt vos et ipsi trahunt vos ad iudicia?
   7 Nonne ipsi blasphemant bonum nomen, quod invocatum est super vos?
   8 Si tamen legem perficitis regalem secundum Scripturam: "Diliges proximum tuum sicut teipsum ", bene facitis;
   9 si autem personas accipitis, peccatum operamini, redarguti a lege quasi transgressores.
   10 Quicumque autem totam legem servaverit, offendat autem in uno, factus est omnium reus.
   11 Qui enim dixit: "Non moechaberis ", dixit et: "Non occides"; quod si non moecharis, occidis autem, factus es transgressor legis.
   12 Sic loquimini et sic facite sicut per legem libertatis iudicandi.
   13 Iudicium enim sine misericordia illi, qui non fecit misericordiam; superexsultat misericordia iudicio.
   14 Quid proderit, fratres mei, si fidem quis dicat se habere, opera autem non habeat? Numquid poterit fides salvare eum?
   15 Si frater aut soror nudi sunt et indigent victu cotidiano,
   16 dicat autem aliquis de vobis illis: "Ite in pace, calefacimini et saturamini ", non dederitis autem eis, quae necessaria sunt corporis, quid proderit?
   17 Sic et fides, si non habeat opera, mortua est in semetipsa.
   18 Sed dicet quis: "Tu fidem habes, et ego opera habeo". Ostende mihi fidem tuam sine operibus, et ego tibi ostendam ex operibus meis fidem.
   19 Tu credis quoniam unus est Deus? Bene facis; et daemones credunt et contremiscunt!
   20 Vis autem scire, o homo inanis, quoniam fides sine operibus otiosa est?
   21 Abraham, pater noster, nonne ex operibus iustificatus est offerens Isaac filium suum super altare?
   22 Vides quoniam fides cooperabatur operibus illius, et ex operibus fides consummata est;
   23 et suppleta est Scriptura dicens: "Credidit Abraham Deo, et reputatum est illi ad iustitiam ", et amicus Dei appellatus est.
   24 Videtis quoniam ex operibus iustificatur homo et non ex fide tantum.
   25 Similiter autem et Rahab, meretrix nonne ex operibus iustificata est suscipiens nuntios et alia via eiciens?
   26 Sicut enim corpus sine spiritu emortuum est, ita et fides sine operibus mortua est.

Source: Bibliorum Sacrorum Editio, Sacrosanti Oecumenici Concilii Vaticani II, Ratione Habita, Iussu Pauli PP. VI Recognita, Auctoritate Ioannis Pauli PP. II Promulgata, Editio Typica Altera

King James Version

   1 My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.
   2 For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;
   3 And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:
   4 Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?
   5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?
   6 But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?
   7 Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?
   8 If 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 to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
   10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
   11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.
   12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.
   13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.
   14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
   15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
   16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
   17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
   18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
   19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
   20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
   21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
   22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
   23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
   24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
   25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
   26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.