Some of James's readers treated rich and powerful people well and treated poor people badly. This is called favoritism, and James tells them that this is wrong. God wants his people to treat both rich people and poor people well.
Justification is what happens when God makes a person righteous. James says here that God makes righteous or justifies people who do good works along with having faith. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tw?section=kt#justice and /WA-Catalog/en_tw?section=kt#righteous and /WA-Catalog/en_tw?section=kt#faith)
The words "Show me your faith without works, and I will show you my faith by my works" are hard to understand. Some people think that they are what "someone may say," like the words in the quotation marks. Most versions translate them as words that James is saying back to that "someone."
Some people think that the words "you" and "I" are metonyms for "some people" and "other people." If they are correct, verse 18 could be translated, "Someone may say, 'Some people have faith and other people have works. Not everyone has both.'" If the next sentence is also what "someone may say," it could be translated "Some people show their faith without works, and other people show their faith by their works. Both have faith." In both cases, the reader will understand only if you add the extra sentence. It is probably best to translate as the ULB does. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metonymy and /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit)
James continues to tell the scattered Jewish believers how to live by loving one another and reminds them not to favor rich people over poor people.
James considers his audience to be Jewish believers. Alternate translation: "My fellow believers" or "My brothers and sisters in Christ"
James wanted them to hold to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, but he did not want them to show partiality to people. Alternate translation: "as you hold to faith in our Lord Jesus Christ ... do not show partiality toward certain people"
Believing in Jesus Christ is spoken of as if it were an object that one could hold onto. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metaphor)
The word "our" includes James and his fellow believers. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-exclusive)
the act of treating some people better than others
James starts to describe a situation where the believers might give more honor to a rich person than to a poor person.
"dressed like a wealthy person"
sit in this place of honor
move to a place with less honor
move to a humble place
James is using rhetorical questions to teach and possibly scold his readers. Alternate translation: "you are making judgments among yourselves and becoming judges with evil thoughts." (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-rquestion)
James is exhorting his readers as if they were his family. Alternate translation: "Pay attention, my dear fellow believers" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metaphor)
Here James uses a rhetorical question to teach his readers not to show favoritism. It can be made a statement. Alternate translation: "God has chosen ... love him" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-rquestion)
This refers to poor people in general. Alternate translation: "poor people" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-nominaladj)
Having much faith is spoken of as being wealthy or rich. The object of faith may have to be specified. Alternate translation: "have strong faith in Christ" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metaphor)
The people to whom God has made promises are spoken of as if they were to inherit property and wealth from a family member. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metaphor)
James is speaking to his whole audience. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-you)
"you have shamed poor people"
Here James uses a rhetorical question to correct his readers. Alternate translation: "It is rich people who oppress you." (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-rquestion and /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-nominaladj)
This refers to rich people in general. Alternate translation: "rich people" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-nominaladj)
"who treat you badly"
Here James uses a rhetorical question to correct his readers. It can be made a statement. Alternate translation: "The rich people are the ones ... to court." (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-rquestion)
"forcibly take you to court to accuse you in front of judges" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit)
Here James uses a rhetorical question to correct and teach his readers. It can be made a statement. Alternate translation: "The rich people insult ... have been called." (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-rquestion)
Here "name" represents "Christ." This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "Christ, who called you" or "Christ, to whom you belong" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metonymy and /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-activepassive)
The word "you" refers to the Jewish believers. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-you)
"obey God's law." The law is "royal" becuase God, the true king, is the one who gave it to people.
James is quoting from the book of Leviticus.
"all people" or "everyone"
"you are doing well" or "you are doing what is right"
"give special treatment to" or "give honor to"
"sinning." That is, breaking the law.
Here the law is spoken of as if it were a human judge. This can be translated using an active verb. Alternate translation: "the law itself convicts you of transgressing it" or "you are guilty of breaking God's law" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-personification)
"For anyone who obeys"
Stumbling is falling down while one is trying to walk. Disobeying one point of the law is spoken of as if it were stumbling while walking. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metaphor)
because of disobedience to just one requirement of the law
This refers to God, who gave the law to Moses.
To "commit" is to do an action.
Here "you" means "each one of you." Although James was writing to many Jewish believers, in this case, he used the singular form as if he was writing to each person individually. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-you)
"So you must speak and obey." James commands the people to do this.
This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "who know that God will judge them by means of the law of freedom" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-activepassive)
This passage implies that it is God who will judge according to his law.
"the law that gives true freedom"
"Mercy is better than" or "Mercy defeats." Here mercy and justice are spoken of as if they were persons. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-personification)
James encourages the scattered believers to show their faith before others, just as Abraham showed others his faith by his works.
James is using a rhetorical question to teach his audience. Alternate translation: "Fellow believers, if someone says he has faith but he has no works, that does him no good at all." or "Fellow believers, someone who has no works is no better if he says he has faith than someone who does not say he has faith." (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-rquestion)
Here, it is implied that "works" refers to things people do because they believe in God, such as obeying God and doing good to others. The abstract nouns "faith" and "works" can be expressed with the verbs "believe" and "do." Alternate translation: "he believes in God but does not do anything ... what he believes" or "he believes in God but does not do anything as a result of his belief ... that belief" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit and /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-abstractnouns)
James is using a rhetorical question to teach his audience. This can be restated to remove the abstract noun "faith." Alternate translation: "That faith cannot save him." or "Just saying he believes in God will not save him." (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-rquestion and /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-abstractnouns)
"spare him from God's judgment"
a fellow believer in Christ, whether male or female
This means either "have enough clothes to wear" or "have a place to sleep." (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metonymy)
The thing that fills them is food. This can be stated explicitly. Alternate translation: "be filled with food" or "have enough to eat" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit)
to eat, to wear, and to live comfortably (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metonymy)
James uses a rhetorical question to teach his audience. Alternate translation: "how does that help them?" or "that does nothing good for them." or "your speech by itself does not help them." (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-rquestion)
Here, it is implied that "works" refers to things people do because they believe in God, such as obeying God and doing good to others. James speaks of faith as if it were alive if one does good works, and of faith as if it were dead if one does not do good deeds. This can be restated to remove the abstract nouns "faith" and "works." Alternate translation: "a person who says he believes in God but does not do anything, does not really believe in God" or "a person who says he believes in God but does not do anything as a result of his belief, does not really believe in God" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit or /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metaphor and /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-abstractnouns)
Possible meanigs are 1) James describes how someone might argue against his teaching and how he would respond to that person or 2) James describes how someone might support his teaching. If the speaker is supporting James, then the quotation would end at the end of the verse.
The meanings in the abstract nouns "faith" and "works" can be expressed with "believe in God" and "do good things." Alternate translation: "'You believe in God and I do good things.' Prove to me that you can believe in God without doing anything, and I will prove to you that I believe in God by what I do" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-abstractnouns)
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James uses this question to introduce the next part of his teaching. Alternate translation: "Listen to me, foolish man, and I will show that faith without works is useless." (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-rquestion)
The meanings in the abstract nouns "faith" and "works" can be expressed with "believe in God" and "do good things." Alternate translation: "that saying that you believe in God without doing good things is useless" or "that if you do not do good things, it is useless to say that you believe" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-abstractnouns)
Since these are Jewish believers, they know the story of Abraham, about whom God had told them long ago in his word.
This rhetorical question is used to rebut the foolish man's arguments from James 2:18, who refuses to believe that faith and works go together. Alternate translation: "Abraham our father was certainly justified by works ... on the altar." (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-rquestion)
This can be restated to remove the abstract noun "works." This can also be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "Did not God justify Abraham our father because of what he did ... on the altar?" or "God certainly justified Abraham our father because of what he did ... on the altar." (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-abstractnouns and /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-activepassive)
Here "father" is used in the sense of "ancestor."
The word "see" is a metonym. Alternate translation: "You understand" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metonymy)
James speaks as if "faith" and "works" were things that can work together and help each other. The meanings in the abstract nouns "faith" and "works" can be expressed with "believe God" and "do what God commanded." Alternate translation: "that because Abraham believed God, he did what God commanded him to do. And Abraham doing what God commanded showed that he truly believed" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit and /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metaphor and /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-abstractnouns)
James again addresses his audience directly by using the plural form of "you."
This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "This fulfilled the scripture" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-activepassive)
"God regarded his faith as righteousness." Abraham's faith and righteousness were treated as if they were able to be counted as having value. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metaphor)
Here, it is implied that "works" refers to things people do because they believe in God, such as obeying God and doing good to others. This can be restated to remove the abstract nouns "faith" and "works." This can also be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "God justifies a man because of what he does, and not just because he believes in God" or "God justifies a man because of what he does as a result of his belief, and not just because he believes in God" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit and /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-activepassive)
James says that what was true of Abraham was also true of Rahab. Both were justified by works.
James is using this rhetorical question to instruct his audience. Alternate translation: "it was what Rahab the prostitute did that justified her ... another road." (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-rquestion and /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-activepassive)
This can be restated to remove the abstract noun "works." This can also be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "did God not justify Rahab the prostitute because of what she did ... another road?" or "God justified Rahab the prostitute because of what she did ... another road." (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-abstractnouns and /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-activepassive)
James expects his audience to know the Old Testament story about the woman Rahab.
people who bring news from another place
"then helped them escape and leave the city"
James is speaking of faith without works as if it were a dead body without the spirit. Here, it is implied that "works" refers to things people do because they believe in God, such as obeying God and doing good to others. This can be restated to remove the abstract nouns "faith" and "works." Alternate translation: "For just as the body is useless without the spirit, even so it is useless for a person to believe in God if he does not do anything" or "For just as the body is useless without the spirit, even so it is useless for a person to believe in God if he does not do anything as a result of his belief" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metaphor and /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit and /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-abstractnouns)