James 2:3
1 My brothers, as you hold out your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, do not show favoritism.
2 Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in.
If you lavish attention on the man in fine clothes and say, “Here is a seat of honor,” but say to the poor man, “You must stand” or “Sit at my feet,”
4 have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
5 Listen, my beloved brothers: Has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom He promised those who love Him?
Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- If you lavish attention on the man in fine clothes and say, “Here is a seat of honor,” but say to the poor man, “You must stand” or “Sit at my feet,”
- KJV
- 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:
- WEB
- and you pay special attention to him who wears the fine clothing and say, “Sit here in a good place;” and you tell the poor man, “Stand there,” or “Sit by my footstool”
- ASV
- and ye have regard to him that weareth the fine clothing, and say, Sit thou here in a good place; and ye say to the poor man, Stand thou there, or sit under my footstool;
- DARBY
- and ye look upon him who wears the splendid apparel, and say, Do thou sit here well, and say to the poor, Do thou stand there, or sit here under my footstool:
- BLB
- and you⁺ might look upon the [man] bearing the splendid apparel and might say, “You sit here well,” and to the poor one might say, “You stand,” or, “Sit there under my footstool,”
- ÅB
- og dere ser på ham som bærer den skinnende kledning, og sier: Sett du deg her på en god plass! og sier til den fattige: Stå du der, eller sett deg her nede ved min fotskammel! -
- OTB
- Hvis dere gir spesiell oppmerksomhet til mannen med de fine klærne og sier: "Her er et godt sete for deg," men sier til den fattige mannen: "Du kan stå der" eller "Sitt ved min fotskammel,"
- B1930
- og I ser på ham som bærer den skinnende klædning, og sier: Sett du dig her på en god plass! og sier til den fattige: Stå du der, eller sett dig her nede ved min fotskammel! -
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
2 Corinthians 8:9
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.
Read in contextJames 2:6
But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you and drag you into court?
Read in contextLuke 7:44–46
And turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? When I entered your house, you did not give Me water for My feet, but she wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.
Read in contextIsaiah 65:5
They say, ‘Keep to yourself; do not come near me, for I am holier than you!’ Such people are smoke in My nostrils, a fire that burns all day long.
Read in contextJude 1:16
These men are discontented grumblers, following after their own lusts; their mouths spew arrogance; they flatter others for their own advantage.
Read in context