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.
• 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 you have dishonored the poor man. Is it not the rich who oppress you and personally drag you into court? 7Do they not blaspheme the fair name by which you have been called? If, however, you are fulfilling 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 and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.

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

• Ifεἰei · ifG1487
• howeverμέντοιmentoi · yetG3305
• are fulfillingτελέωteleō · to finishG5055
• royalβασιλικόςbasilikos · royalG937
• lawνόμοςnomos · lawG3551
• accordingκατάkata · according toG2596
• to the Scriptureγραφήgraphē · a writingG1124
• You shall loveἀγαπάωagapaō · to loveG25
• your neighborπλησίονplēsion · near/neighborG4139
• as yourselfσεαυτοῦseautou seautō seauton sautou sautō sauton · yourselfG4572
• you are doingποιέωpoieō · 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 by the law of liberty.
• James 1:25But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.
• 1 Peter 2:9But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
• Leviticus 19:18You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the Lord.
• Matthew 22:39The 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 nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.
• Galatians 5:14For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
• Galatians 6:2Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.
• 1 Thessalonians 4:9Now as to the love of the brethren, you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another;
• James 2:19You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.
• 1 Kings 8:18But the Lord said to my father David, ‘Because 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, but we are keeping silent; if we wait until morning light, punishment will overtake us. Now therefore come, let us go and tell the king’s household.”
• Jonah 4:4The Lord said, “Do you have good reason to be angry?”
• Matthew 25:21His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; 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