James 2:9
But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
James 2:9 in other translations
| BSB | But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. |
|---|---|
| WEB | But if you show partiality, you commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors. |
| ASV | but if ye have respect of persons, ye commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors. |
| YLT | and if ye accept persons, sin ye do work, being convicted by the law as transgressors; |
| DARBY | But if ye have respect of persons, ye commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors. |
| BBE | But if you take a man's position into account, you do evil, and are judged as evil-doers by the law. |
| Webster | But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors. |
What does James 2:9 mean?
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain
Barnes' Notes
And are convinced of the law as transgressors. Gr., "By the law." The word convinced is now used in a somewhat different sense from what it was formerly. It now commonly refers to the impression made on a man's mind by showing him the truth of a thing which before was doubted, or in respect to which the evidence was not clear. A man who doubted the truth of a report or a proposition may be convinced or satisfied of its truth; a man who has done wrong, though he supposed he was doing what was proper, may be convinced of his error. So a man may be convinced that he is a sinner, though before he had no belief of it, and no concern about it; and this may produce in his mind the feeling which is technically known as conviction, producing deep distress and anguish. Jn 16:8. Here, however, the word does not refer so much to the effect produced on the mind itself, as to the fact that the law would hold such an one to be guilty; that is, the law pronounces what is done to be wrong. Whether they would be personally convinced of it, and troubled about it as convicted sinners, would be a different question, and one to which the apostle does not refer; for his object is not to show that they would be troubled about it, but to show that the law of God condemned this course, and would hold them to be guilty. The argument here is not from the personal distress which this course would produce in their own minds, but from the fact that the law of God condemned it.
(a) "respect to persons" Jas 2:1
Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain
Adam Clarke's Commentary
Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on James 2:1-13
Chapter Outline All professions of faith are vain, if not producing love and justice to others. (1-13) The necessity of good works to prove the sincerity of faith, which otherwise will be of no more advantage than the faith of devils. (14-26) Verses 1-13 Those who profess faith in Christ as the Lord of glory, must not respect persons on account of mere outward circumstances and appearances, in a manner not agreeing…
James 2:9 in the original Greek
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Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).
Cross references for James 2:9
- Leviticus 19:15
Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour.
- James 2:1-4
My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. 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; 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: Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?
- John 8:9
And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
- 1 John 3:4
Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
- Romans 3:20
Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
- John 16:8
And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
- John 8:46
Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?
- Galatians 2:19
For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.
- Jude 1:15
To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.
- 1 Corinthians 14:24
But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all:
- Romans 7:7-13
What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead. For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. …
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Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Context
- James 2:8
If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:
- James 2:9
But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
- James 2:10
For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
James 2:9 in other languages
| Spanish Reina-Valera 1909 | Mas si hacéis acepción de personas, cometéis pecado, y sois reconvenidos de la ley como transgresores. |
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| French Bible J.N. Darby 1885 | mais si vous faites acception de personnes, vous commettez le péché, et vous êtes convaincus par la loi comme transgresseurs. |
| German Elberfelder 1871 | Wenn ihr aber die Person ansehet, so begehet ihr Sünde, indem ihr von dem Gesetz als Übertreter überführt werdet. |
| Latin Clementine Vulgate | si autem personas accipitis, peccatum operamini, redarguti a lege quasi transgressores. |