James
Chapter 2
1 1 My brothers, show no partiality as you adhere to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ.
我的弟兄们，你们既信仰我们已受光荣的主耶稣基督，就不该按外貌待人。
2 For if a man with gold rings on his fingers and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and a poor person in shabby clothes also comes in,
如果有一个人，戴着金戒指，穿著华美的衣服，进入你们的会堂，同时一个衣服肮脏的穷人也进来，
3 and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say, ＂Sit here, please,＂ while you say to the poor one, ＂Stand there,＂ or ＂Sit at my feet,＂
你们就专看那穿华美衣服的人，且对他说：＂请坐在这边好位上！＂而对那穷人说：＂你站在那里！＂或说＂坐在我的脚凳下边＂！
4 have you not made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil designs? 2
这岂不是你们自己立定区别，而按偏邪的心思判断人吗？
5 Listen, my beloved brothers. Did not God choose those who are poor 3 in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he promised to those who love him?
我亲爱的弟兄们，请听！天主不是选了世俗视为贫穷的人，使他们富于信德，并继承他向爱他的人所预许的国吗？
6 But you dishonored the poor person. Are not the rich oppressing you? And do they themselves not haul you off to court?
可是你们，竟侮辱穷人！岂不是富贵人仗势欺压你们，亲自拉你们上法庭吗？
7 Is it not they who blaspheme the noble name that was invoked over you?
岂不是他们辱骂你们被称的美名吗？
8 However, if you fulfill the royal 4 law according to the scripture, ＂You shall love your neighbor as yourself,＂ you are doing well.
的确，如果你们按照经书所说‘你应当爱你的近人如你自己’的话，满了最高的法律，你们便作的对了；
9 But if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
但若你们按外貌待人，那就是犯罪，就被法律指证为犯法者，
10 For whoever keeps the whole law, but falls short in one particular, has become guilty in respect to all of it.
因为谁若遵守全部法律，但只触犯了一条，就算是全犯了，
11 For he who said, ＂You shall not commit adultery,＂ also said, ＂You shall not kill.＂ Even if you do not commit adultery but kill, you have become a transgressor of the law.
因为那说了‘不可行奸淫’的，也说了‘不可杀人。’纵然你不行奸淫，你却杀人，你仍成了犯法的人。
12 So speak and so act as people who will be judged by the law of freedom. 5
你们要怎样按照自由的法律受审判，你们就怎样说话行事罢！
13 For the judgment is merciless to one who has not shown mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.
因为对不行怜悯的人，审判时也没有怜悯；怜悯必得胜审判。
146 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?
我的弟兄们，若有人说自己有信德，却没有行为，有什么益处？难道这信德能救他吗？
15 If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day,
假设有弟兄或姐妹赤身露体，且缺少日用粮，
16 and one of you says to them, ＂Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,＂ but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it?
即使你们中有人给他们说：＂你们平安去罢！穿得暖暖的，吃得饱饱的！＂却不给他们身体所必需的，有什么益处呢？
17 So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
信德也是这样：若没有行为，自身便是死的。
18 Indeed someone might say, ＂You have faith and I have works.＂ Demonstrate your faith to me without works, and I will demonstrate my faith to you from my works.
也许有人说：你有信德，我却有行为；把你没有行为的信德指给我看，我便会借我的行为，叫你看我的信德。
19 You believe that God is one. You do well. Even the demons believe that and tremble.
你信只有一个天主吗！你信得对，连魔鬼也信，且怕得打颤。
20 Do you want proof, you ignoramus, that faith without works is useless?
虚浮的人啊！你愿意知道信德没有行为是无用的吗？
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered his son Isaac upon the altar?
我们的祖宗亚巴郎，把他的儿子依撒格献在祭坛上，不是由于行为而成为义人的吗？
22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by the works.
你看，他的信德是和他的行为合作，并且这信德由于行为才得以成全，
23 Thus the scripture was fulfilled that says, ＂Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,＂ and he was called ＂the friend of God.＂
这就应验了经上所说的：‘亚巴郎相信了天主，因而这事为他便算是正义，’得被称为‘天主的朋友。’
24 See how a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.
你们看，人成义是由于行为，不仅是由于信德。
25 And in the same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she welcomed the messengers and sent them out by a different route?
接待使者，从别的路上将他们放走的辣哈布妓女，不也是同样因行为而成义的吗？
26 For just as a body without a spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.
正如身体没有灵魂是死的，同样信德没有行为也是死的。
Footnotes(注解)
1 [1-13] In the Christian community there must be no discrimination or favoritism based on status or wealth (James 2:2-4; cf Matthew 5:3; 11:5; 23:6; 1 Cor 1:27-29). Divine favor rather consists in God's election and promises (James 2:5). The rich who oppress the poor blaspheme the name of Christ (James 2:6-7). By violating one law of love of neighbor, they offend against the whole law (James 2:8-11). On the other hand, conscious awareness of the final judgment helps the faithful to fulfill the whole law (James 2:12).
2 [4] When Christians show favoritism to the rich they are guilty of the worst kind of prejudice and discrimination. The author says that such Christians set themselves up as judges who judge not by divine law but by the basest, self-serving motives.,
3 [5] The poor, ＂God's poor＂ of the Old Testament, were seen by Jesus as particularly open to God for belief in and reliance on him alone (Luke 6:20). God's law cannot tolerate their oppression in any way (James 2:9).
4 [8] Royal: literally, ＂kingly＂; because the Mosaic law came from God, the universal king. There may be an allusion to Jesus' uses of this commandment in his preaching of the kingdom of God (Matthew 22:39; Mark 12:31; Luke 10:27).
5 [12-13] The law upon which the last judgment will be based is the law of freedom. As Jesus taught, mercy (which participates in God's own loving mercy) includes forgiveness of those who wrong us (see Matthew 6:12, 14-15).
6 [14-26] The theme of these verses is the relationship of faith and works (deeds). It has been argued that the teaching here contradicts that of Paul (see especially Romans 4:5-6). The problem can only be understood if the different viewpoints of the two authors are seen. Paul argues against those who claim to participate in God's salvation because of their good deeds as well as because they have committed themselves to trust in God through Jesus Christ (Paul's concept of faith). Paul certainly understands, however, the implications of true faith for a life of love and generosity (see Gal 5:6, 13-15). The author of James is well aware that proper conduct can only come about with an authentic commitmentto God in faith (James 2:18, 26). Many think he was seeking to correct a misunderstanding of Paul's view.