Focused Passage

James 2:8-13

Mercy, Partiality, and Living Faith

James moves from condemning favoritism in the assembly, to exposing partiality as lawbreaking, to calling believers to mercy before judgment, and finally to demonstrating that genuine faith is living, active, and completed in works.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

8If you really fulfill the royal law stated in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.

9But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.

10Whoever keeps the whole law but stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.

11For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.

12Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom.

13For judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 8

Original words

IfΕἰG1487ConjunctionvvvμέντοιG3305Conjunctionyou really fulfillτελεῖτεG5055Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural[the] royalβασιλικὸνG937Adjective - Accusative Masculine SingularlawνόμονG3551Noun - Accusative Masculine Singularstated inκατὰG2596Preposition-τὴνG3588Article - Accusative Feminine SingularScriptureγραφήνG1124Noun - Accusative Feminine SingularLoveἈγαπήσειςG25Verb - Future Indicative Active - 2nd Person SingularyourσουG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular-τὸνG3588Article - Accusative Masculine SingularneighborπλησίονG4139AdverbasὡςG5613AdverbyourselfσεαυτόνG4572Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 2nd Person Singularyou are doingποιεῖτεG4160Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person PluralwellκαλῶςG2573Adverb

BSB notes

  • Leviticus 19:18
Verse 9

Original words

ButδὲG1161ConjunctionifεἰG1487Conjunctionyou show favoritismπροσωπολημπτεῖτεG4380Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person PluralyouἐργάζεσθεG2038Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person PluralsinἁμαρτίανG266Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular[and] are convictedἐλεγχόμενοιG1651Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine PluralbyὑπὸG5259PrepositiontheτοῦG3588Article - Genitive Masculine SingularlawνόμουG3551Noun - Genitive Masculine SingularasὡςG5613AdverbtransgressorsπαραβάταιG3848Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural
Verse 10

Original words

-γὰρG1063ConjunctionWhoeverὍστιςG3748Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine SingularkeepsτηρήσῃG5083Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person SingulartheτὸνG3588Article - Accusative Masculine SingularwholeὅλονG3650Adjective - Accusative Masculine SingularlawνόμονG3551Noun - Accusative Masculine SingularbutδὲG1161ConjunctionstumblesπταίσῃG4417Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person SingularatἐνG1722Prepositionjust one [point]ἑνίG1520Adjective - Dative Neuter SingularisγέγονενG1096Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularguiltyἔνοχοςG1777Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singularof [breaking] all of itπάντωνG3956Adjective - Genitive Neuter Plural
Verse 11

Original words

ForγὰρG1063ConjunctionHe whoG3588Article - Nominative Masculine SingularsaidεἰπώνG2036Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine SingularvvvΜὴG3361AdverbDo not commit adulteryμοιχεύσῃςG3431Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person SingularalsoκαίG2532ConjunctionsaidεἶπενG2036Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularvvvΜὴG3361AdverbDo not murderφονεύσῃςG5407Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person Singular-δὲG1161ConjunctionIfεἰG1487ConjunctionvvvοὐG3756Adverbyou do not commit adulteryμοιχεύειςG3431Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person SingularbutδέG1161Conjunctiondo commit murderφονεύειςG5407Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singularyou have becomeγέγοναςG1096Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 2nd Person SingularvvvπαραβάτηςG3848Noun - Nominative Masculine Singulara lawbreakerνόμουG3551Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular

BSB notes

  • Exodus 20:14; Deuteronomy 5:18
  • Exodus 20:13; Deuteronomy 5:17
Verse 12

Original words

-ΟὕτωςG3779AdverbSpeakλαλεῖτεG2980Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person PluralandκαὶG2532Conjunction-οὕτωςG3779AdverbactποιεῖτεG4160Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person PluralasὡςG5613Adverbthose who are goingμέλλοντεςG3195Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Pluralto be judgedκρίνεσθαιG2919Verb - Present Infinitive Middle or PassivebyδιὰG1223Preposition[the] lawνόμουG3551Noun - Genitive Masculine Singularthat gives freedomἐλευθερίαςG1657Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Verse 13

Original words

ForγὰρG1063Conjunction-G3588Article - Nominative Feminine SingularjudgmentκρίσιςG2920Noun - Nominative Feminine Singularwithout mercy [ will be shown to ]ἀνέλεοςG448Adjective - Nominative Feminine Singularanyone whoτῷG3588Article - Dative Masculine SingularvvvμὴG3361Adverbhas not been mercifulποιήσαντιG4160Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Dative Masculine Singular. . .ἔλεοςG1656Noun - Accusative Neuter SingularMercyἔλεοςG1656Noun - Nominative Neuter Singulartriumphs overκατακαυχᾶταιG2620Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person SingularjudgmentκρίσεωςG2920Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.