James 2:12

James 2:12 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.
• New International Version (NIV)Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom,
• English Standard Version (ESV)So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty.
• New King James Version (NKJV)So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty.

Context of James 2:12

10Even if you fail to obey only one rule in God's Law, it means that you are guilty. It is the same as if you fail to obey all God's Law. 11For example, God has said in his Law, ‘You must not have sex with anyone who is not your husband or your wife.’ But God has also said, ‘Do not kill another person.’ Perhaps you do not have sex in a wrong way like that. But if you then murder someone, God's Law shows that you are still wrong. Remember that God will judge you one day. When he does that, he will use a law which makes us free. So remember this in everything that you say and in everything that you do. 13God will not forgive anyone who has not forgiven other people. But God is kind! He judges us, but even more than that, he forgives us! 14My Christian brothers, you say that you believe in God. Then you must show this in the things that you do. If not, your faith will not help you. It will not save you.

James 2:12 word by word

οὕτως λαλεῖτε καὶ οὕτως ποιεῖτε ὡς διὰ νόμου ἐλευθερίας μέλλοντες κρίνεσθαι.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Soοὕτωςhoutō · thus(-ly)G3779
• speak yeλαλέωlaleō · to speakG2980
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• doποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
• asὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
• they that shallμέλλωmellō · to ensueG3195
• be judgedκρίνωkrinō · to judgeG2919
• byδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• the lawνόμοςnomos · lawG3551
• of libertyἐλευθερίαeleutheria · freedomG1657

Cross-references for James 2:12

• Philippians 4:8Now my friends, I want to say this to you. Fill your minds with thoughts about good things. Think about things that are true, clean, right and lovely. Always think about things which people know are very good.
• Colossians 3:17Show that you belong to the Lord Jesus with everything that you do and with everything that you say. Always thank God the Father in the way that you serve Jesus.
• 2 Peter 1:4Because of this, God has promised that he will do very great and valuable things for us. As a result, you can do what is right, like God does. The people who belong to this world want to do bad things. Those bad things make them become worse and worse. But God gives you the power to be free from all that.
• James 2:8But the message of God's kingdom is this: ‘Love other people as much as you love yourself.’ That is what the Bible says. If you really do that, you do well.
• James 1:25So do not just listen to God's message and then forget it. It is a completely good message that makes people free. Look at it carefully and keep it in your mind. Do what it tells you to do. God will bless anyone who lives in that way.

Commentaries on James 2:12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12So speak ye, and so do - Have respect to every commandment of God, for this the law of liberty - the Gospel of Jesus Christ, particularly requires; and this is the law by which all mankind, who have had the opportunity of knowing it, shall be judged. But all along St. James particularly refers to the precept, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty - On the phrase, “the law of liberty,” see the notes at James 1:25. Compare the notes at James 4:11. The meaning is, that in all our conduct we are to act under the constant impression of the truth that we are soon to be brought into judgment, and that the law by which we are to be judged is that by which it is contemplated that we shall be set free from the dominion of sin. In the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12The law that gives freedom from the power of sin (see 1:25 and corresponding study note). It promotes endurance and grow towards perfection (1:3–4).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. Summing up of the previous reasonings. speak--referring back to Jas 1:19, 26; the fuller discussion of the topic is given Jas 3:5-12. judged by the law of liberty--(Jas 1:25); that is, the Gospel law of love, which is not a law of external constraint, but of internal, free, instinctive inclination. The law of liberty, through God's mercy, frees us from the curse of the law, that henceforth we should be free to love and obey willingly. If we will not…Read the comment

Topics related to James 2:12

• Commandments
• Faith
• Judgment
• Obedience
• Religion

In the dictionaries

• Convince
• Dead
• Draw
• Justify
• Offend
• Respect
• Rich
• Sister
• Romans, Epistle to the

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