American Standard Version
James 2:8
8Howbeit if ye fulfil the royal law, according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well:
James 2:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:
- New International Version (NIV)If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right.
- English Standard Version (ESV)If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing well.
- New King James Version (NKJV)If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well;
Context of James 2:8
6But ye have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you, and themselves drag you before the judgment-seats? 7Do not they blaspheme the honorable name by which ye are called? Howbeit if ye fulfil the royal law, according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well: 9but if ye have respect of persons, ye commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors. 10For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is become guilty of all.
Read all of James 2James 2:8 word by word
εἰ μέντοι νόμον τελεῖτε βασιλικὸν κατὰ τὴν γραφήν· ἀγαπήσεις τὸν πλησίον σου ὡς σεαυτόν, καλῶς ποιεῖτε·Read the interlinear
Cross-references for James 2:8
- James 2:12So speak ye, and so do, as men that are to be judged by a law of liberty.
- James 1:25But he that looketh into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and so continueth, being not a hearer that forgetteth but a doer that worketh, this man shall be blessed in his doing.
- 1 Peter 2:9But ye are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that ye may show forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
- Leviticus 19:18Thou shalt not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people; but thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself: I am Jehovah.
- Matthew 22:39And a second like unto it is this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
- Mark 12:31The second is this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
- Luke 10:27And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself.
- Romans 13:8Owe no man anything, save to love one another: for he that loveth his neighbor hath fulfilled the law.
- Galatians 5:14For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
- Galatians 6:2Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:9But concerning love of the brethren ye have no need that one write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another;
- James 2:19Thou believest that God is one; thou doest well: the demons also believe, and shudder.
- 1 Kings 8:18But Jehovah said unto David my father, Whereas it was in thy heart to build a house for my name, thou didst well that it was in thy heart:
- 2 Kings 7:9Then they said one to another, We do not well; this day is a day of good tidings, and we hold our peace: if we tarry till the morning light, punishment will overtake us; now therefore come, let us go and tell the king’s household.
- Jonah 4:4And Jehovah said, Doest thou well to be angry?
- Matthew 25:21His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will set thee over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
Commentaries on James 2:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8The royal law - . This epithet, of all the New Testament writers, is peculiar to James; but it is frequent among the Greek writers in the sense in which it appears St. James uses it. , royal, is used to signify any thing that is of general concern, is suitable to all, and necessary for all, as brotherly love is. This commandment; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, is a royal law, not only because it is ordained of God, and proceeds from his kingly…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8If ye fulfil the royal law - That is, the law which he immediately mentions requiring us to love our neighbor as ourselves. It is called a “royal law,” or kingly law, on account of its excellence or nobleness; not because it is ordained by God as a king, but because it has some such prominence and importance among other laws as a king has among other men; that is, it is majestic, noble, worthy of veneration. It is a law which ought to govern and direct us…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8Christians should obey (literally fulfill) the royal law, just as Jesus fulfilled the law by coming and teaching ((Matthew 5:17; 22:34–40). It is the royal law because it belongs to the kingdom and our glorious Lord (King) gave it (James 2:5). in Scripture: James shifts from a general mention of the law to a specific commandment from “the holiness code” (Leviticus 19). It explains how we show our love for God through relationships with others (see…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. The Greek may be translated, "If, however, ye fulfil," &c., that is, as Alford, after Estius, explains, "Still I do not say, hate the rich (for their oppressions) and drive them from your assemblies; if you choose to observe the royal law ... well and good; but respect of persons is a breach of that law." I think the translation is, "If in very deed (or 'indeed on the one hand') ye fulfil the royal law ... ye do well, but if (on the other hand) ye…Read the comment
Topics related to James 2:8
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
American Standard Version — 1901 — Public Domain
Commentaries