New English Translation
James 2:3
3do you pay attention to the one who is finely dressed and say, “You sit here in a good place,” and to the poor person, “You stand over there,” or “Sit on the floor”?
James 2:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:
- New International Version (NIV)If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,”
- English Standard Version (ESV)and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, "You sit here in a good place," while you say to the poor man, "You stand over there," or, "Sit down at my feet,"
- New King James Version (NKJV)and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, “You sit here in a good place,” and say to the poor man, “You stand there,” or, “Sit here at my footstool,”
Context of James 2:3
1My brothers and sisters, do not show prejudice if you possess faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. 2For if someone comes into your assembly wearing a gold ring and fine clothing, and a poor person enters in filthy clothes, do you pay attention to the one who is finely dressed and say, “You sit here in a good place,” and to the poor person, “You stand over there,” or “Sit on the floor”? 4If so, have you not made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil motives? 5Listen, my dear brothers and sisters! Did not God choose the poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he promised to those who love him?
Read all of James 2James 2:3 word by word
ἐπιβλέψητε δὲ ἐπὶ τὸν φοροῦντα τὴν ἐσθῆτα τὴν λαμπρὰν καὶ εἴπητε σὺ κάθου ὧδε καλῶς, καὶ τῷ πτωχῷ εἴπητε· σὺ στῆθι ἢ κάθου ὑπὸ τὸ ὑποπόδιόν μου,Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- ye have respectἐπιβλέπωepiblepō · to look upon/atG1914
- toἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
- wearethφορέωphoreō · to wearG5409
- the gayλαμπρόςlampros · shiningG2986
- clothingἐσθήςesthēs · clothingG2066
- sayλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- unto himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- Sitκάθημαιkathēmai · to sitG2521
- thouσύsu · youG4771
- hereὧδεhōde · hereG5602
- in a good placeκαλῶςkalōs · wellG2573
- to the poorπτωχόςptōchos · poorG4434
- Standἵστημιhistēmi · to standG2476
- thereἐκεῖekei · thereG1563
- orἤē · orG2228
- underὑπόhupo · by/under: byG5259
- myἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- footstoolὑποπόδιονhupopodion · footstoolG5286
Cross-references for James 2:3
- Jude 1:16These people are grumblers and fault-finders who go wherever their desires lead them, and they give bombastic speeches, enchanting folks for their own gain.
- James 2:6But you have dishonored the poor! Are not the rich oppressing you and dragging you into the courts?
- Isaiah 65:5They say, ‘Keep to yourself! Don’t get near me, for I am holier than you!’ These people are like smoke in my nostrils, like a fire that keeps burning all day long.
- Luke 7:44Then, turning toward the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house. You gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.
- 2 Corinthians 8:9For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that although he was rich, he became poor for your sakes, so that you by his poverty could become rich.
Commentaries on James 2:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Sit here under my footstool - Thus evidently prejudging the cause, and giving the poor man to see that he was to expect no impartial administration of justice in his cause.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing - If you show him superior attention on account of his rich and gay apparel, giving him a seat by himself, and treating others with neglect or contempt. Religion does not forbid proper respect to rank, to office, to age, or to distinguished talents and services, though even in such cases it does not require that we should feel that such persons have any peculiar claims to salvation, or that they are…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-4People often focus on wealthy individuals due to their social status, political power, and potential generosity. By serving and publicly honoring the wealthy, the church could receive economic benefits. James warns that this favoritism shows evil motives, creating a divide between loyalty to God and a desire for worldly wealth (1:6; 4:4).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2-32-3. "If there chance to have come" [Alford]. assembly--literally, "synagogue"; this, the latest honorable use, and the only Christian use of the term in the New Testament, occurs in James's Epistle, the apostle who maintained to the latest possible moment the bonds between the Jewish synagogue and the Christian Church. Soon the continued resistance of the truth by the Jews led Christians to leave the term to them exclusively (Re 3:9). The "synagogue"…Read the comment
Topics related to James 2:3
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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