Christian Standard Bible
James 2:13
13For judgment is without mercy to the one who has not shown mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
James 2:13 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.
- New International Version (NIV)because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
- English Standard Version (ESV)For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
- New King James Version (NKJV)For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
Context of James 2:13
11For he who said, Do not commit adultery, also said, Do not murder. So if you do not commit adultery, but you murder, you are a lawbreaker. 12Speak and act as those who are to be judged by the law of freedom. For judgment is without mercy to the one who has not shown mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. 14What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? Can such faith save him? 15If a brother or sister is without clothes and lacks daily food
Read all of James 2James 2:13 word by word
ἡ γὰρ κρίσις ἀνέλεος τῷ μὴ ποιήσαντι ἔλεος· κατακαυχᾶται ἔλεος κρίσεως.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for James 2:13
- James 5:4Look! The pay that you withheld from the workers who mowed your fields cries out, and the outcry of the harvesters has reached the ears of the Lord of Armies.
- Genesis 42:21Then they said to each other, “Obviously, we are being punished for what we did to our brother. We saw his deep distress when he pleaded with us, but we would not listen. That is why this trouble has come to us.”
- Judges 1:7Adoni-bezek said, “Seventy kings with their thumbs and big toes cut off used to pick up scraps under my table. God has repaid me for what I have done.” They brought him to Jerusalem, and he died there.
- Job 22:6For you took collateral from your brothers without cause, stripping off their clothes and leaving them naked.
- Proverbs 21:13The one who shuts his ears to the cry of the poor will himself also call out and not be answered.
- Isaiah 27:11When its branches dry out, they will be broken off. Women will come and make fires with them, for they are not a people with understanding. Therefore their Maker will not have compassion on them, and their Creator will not be gracious to them.
- Matthew 5:7Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
- Matthew 6:15But if you don’t forgive others, your Father will not forgive your offenses.
- Matthew 7:1“Do not judge, so that you won’t be judged.
- Matthew 18:28“That servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him, started choking him, and said, ‘Pay what you owe!’
- Matthew 25:41“Then he will also say to those on the left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels!
- Luke 16:25“‘Son,’ Abraham said, ‘remember that during your life you received your good things, just as Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here, while you are in agony.
- Psalms 85:10Faithful love and truth will join together; righteousness and peace will embrace.
- Jeremiah 9:24But the one who boasts should boast in this: that he understands and knows me — that I am the Lord, showing faithful love, justice, and righteousness on the earth, for I delight in these things. This is the Lord’s declaration.
- Ezekiel 33:11Tell them, ‘As I live — this is the declaration of the Lord God — I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked person should turn from his way and live. Repent, repent of your evil ways! Why will you die, house of Israel?’
- Micah 7:18Who is a God like you, forgiving iniquity and passing over rebellion for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not hold on to his anger forever because he delights in faithful love.
Commentaries on James 2:13
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 13For he shall have judgment - He who shows no mercy to man, or, in other words, he who does not exercise himself in works of charity and mercy to his needy fellow creatures, shall receive no mercy at the hand of God; for he hath said, Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. The unmerciful therefore are cursed, and they shall obtain no mercy. Mercy rejoiceth against judgment - These words are variously understood. Mercy, the merciful man, the…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath showed no mercy - This is obviously an equitable principle, and is one which is everywhere found in the Bible. Proverbs 21:13. “Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself but will not be heard.” 2 Samuel 22:26-27, “with the merciful thou wilt show thyself merciful, and with the froward thou wilt show thyself unsavory.” Compare Psalm 18:25-26; Matthew 6:15; Matthew 7:1-2…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 13James ends this section (2:1–13) by linking God's mercy with human mercy (see also Matthew 6:14–15; Ephesians 4:32).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1313. The converse of, "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy" (Mt 5:7). Translate, "The judgment (which is coming on all of us) shall be without mercy to him who hath showed no mercy." It shall be such toward every one as every one shall have been [Bengel]. "Mercy" here corresponds to "love," Jas 2:8. mercy rejoiceth against judgment--Mercy, so far from fearing judgment in the case of its followers, actually glorifieth against it, knowing…Read the comment
Topics related to James 2:13
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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