James 2:8

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.
• 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;
• New Living Translation (NLT)Yes indeed, it is good when you obey the royal law as found in the Scriptures: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Context of James 2:8

6But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court? 7Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called? If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing well. 9But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.

James 2:8 word by word

εἰ μέντοι νόμον τελεῖτε βασιλικὸν κατὰ τὴν γραφήν· ἀγαπήσεις τὸν πλησίον σου ὡς σεαυτόν, καλῶς ποιεῖτε·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Ifεἰei · ifG1487
• ·μέντοιmentoi · yetG3305
• ye fulfilτελέωteleō · to finishG5055
• the royalβασιλικόςbasilikos · royalG937
• lawνόμοςnomos · lawG3551
• according toκατάkata · according toG2596
• the scriptureγραφήgraphē · a writingG1124
• Thou shalt loveἀγαπάωagapaō · to loveG25
• thyσύsu · youG4771
• neighbourπλησίονplēsion · near/neighborG4139
• asὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
• thyselfσεαυτοῦseautou seautō seauton sautou sautō sauton · yourselfG4572
• ye doποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
• wellκαλῶςkalōs · wellG2573

Cross-references for James 2:8

• James 2:12So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty.
• James 1:25But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
• 1 Peter 2:9But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
• Leviticus 19:18You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.
• Matthew 22:39And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
• Mark 12:31The second is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."
• Luke 10:27And he answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself."
• Romans 13:8Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.
• Galatians 5:14For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
• Galatians 6:2Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
• 1 Thessalonians 4:9Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another,
• James 2:19You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!
• 1 Kings 8:18But the Lord said to David my father, 'Whereas it was in your heart to build a house for my name, you did well that it was in your heart.
• 2 Kings 7:9Then they said to one another, "We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news. If we are silent and wait until the morning light, punishment will overtake us. Now therefore come; let us go and tell the king's household."
• Jonah 4:4And the Lord said, "Do you do well to be angry?"
• Matthew 25:21His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.'

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

• Commandments
• Faith
• Love
• Neighbor
• Poor
• Quotations and Allusions
• Religion
• Respect of Persons
• Unselfishness

In the dictionaries

• Convince
• Dead
• Draw
• Justify
• Offend
• Respect
• Rich
• Sister
• Inspiration
• Law in the New Testament

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