Amplified Bible
James 2:3
3and you pay special attention to the one who wears the fine clothes, and say to him, “You sit here in this good seat,” and you tell the poor man, “You stand over there, or sit down [on the floor] by my footstool,”
James 2:3 in other versions
- King James Version (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:
- New International Version (NIV)If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,”
- English Standard Version (ESV)and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, "You sit here in a good place," while you say to the poor man, "You stand over there," or, "Sit down at my feet,"
- New King James Version (NKJV)and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, “You sit here in a good place,” and say to the poor man, “You stand there,” or, “Sit here at my footstool,”
Context of James 2:3
1My fellow believers, do not practice your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of partiality [toward people—show no favoritism, no prejudice, no snobbery]. 2For if a man comes into your meeting place wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in dirty clothes also comes in, and you pay special attention to the one who wears the fine clothes, and say to him, “You sit here in this good seat,” and you tell the poor man, “You stand over there, or sit down [on the floor] by my footstool,” 4have you not discriminated among yourselves, and become judges with wrong motives? 5Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters: has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and [as believers to be] heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?
Read all of James 2James 2:3 word by word
ἐπιβλέψητε δὲ ἐπὶ τὸν φοροῦντα τὴν ἐσθῆτα τὴν λαμπρὰν καὶ εἴπητε σὺ κάθου ὧδε καλῶς, καὶ τῷ πτωχῷ εἴπητε· σὺ στῆθι ἢ κάθου ὑπὸ τὸ ὑποπόδιόν μου,Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- ye have respectἐπιβλέπωepiblepō · to look upon/atG1914
- toἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
- wearethφορέωphoreō · to wearG5409
- the gayλαμπρόςlampros · shiningG2986
- clothingἐσθήςesthēs · clothingG2066
- sayλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- unto himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- Sitκάθημαιkathēmai · to sitG2521
- thouσύsu · youG4771
- hereὧδεhōde · hereG5602
- in a good placeκαλῶςkalōs · wellG2573
- to the poorπτωχόςptōchos · poorG4434
- Standἵστημιhistēmi · to standG2476
- thereἐκεῖekei · thereG1563
- orἤē · orG2228
- underὑπόhupo · by/under: byG5259
- myἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- footstoolὑποπόδιονhupopodion · footstoolG5286
Cross-references for James 2:3
- Jude 1:16These people are [habitual] murmurers, griping and complaining, following after their own desires [controlled by passion]; they speak arrogantly, [pretending admiration and] flattering people to gain an advantage.
- James 2:6But you [in contrast] have dishonored the poor man. Is it not the rich who oppress and exploit you, and personally drag you into the courts of law?
- Isaiah 65:5Who say, ‘Keep to yourself, do not come near me, For I am too holy for you [and you might defile me]!’ These [people] are smoke in My nostrils, A fire that burns all the day.
- Luke 7:44Then turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house [but you failed to extend to Me the usual courtesies shown to a guest]; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair [demonstrating her love].
- 2 Corinthians 8:9For you are recognizing [more clearly] the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ [His astonishing kindness, His generosity, His gracious favor], that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that by His poverty you might become rich (abundantly blessed).
Commentaries on James 2:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Sit here under my footstool - Thus evidently prejudging the cause, and giving the poor man to see that he was to expect no impartial administration of justice in his cause.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing - If you show him superior attention on account of his rich and gay apparel, giving him a seat by himself, and treating others with neglect or contempt. Religion does not forbid proper respect to rank, to office, to age, or to distinguished talents and services, though even in such cases it does not require that we should feel that such persons have any peculiar claims to salvation, or that they are…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-4People often focus on wealthy individuals due to their social status, political power, and potential generosity. By serving and publicly honoring the wealthy, the church could receive economic benefits. James warns that this favoritism shows evil motives, creating a divide between loyalty to God and a desire for worldly wealth (1:6; 4:4).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2-32-3. "If there chance to have come" [Alford]. assembly--literally, "synagogue"; this, the latest honorable use, and the only Christian use of the term in the New Testament, occurs in James's Epistle, the apostle who maintained to the latest possible moment the bonds between the Jewish synagogue and the Christian Church. Soon the continued resistance of the truth by the Jews led Christians to leave the term to them exclusively (Re 3:9). The "synagogue"…Read the comment
Topics related to James 2:3
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on James 2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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