New King James Version
James 2:13
13For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no 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 Living Translation (NLT)There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you.
Context of James 2:13
11For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. 14What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of 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 5:4Indeed the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out; and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.
- Genesis 42:21Then they said to one another, “We are truly guilty concerning our brother, for we saw the anguish of his soul when he pleaded with us, and we would not hear; therefore this distress has come upon us.”
- Judges 1:7And Adoni-Bezek said, “Seventy kings with their thumbs and big toes cut off used to gather scraps under my table; as I have done, so God has repaid me.” Then they brought him to Jerusalem, and there he died.
- Job 22:6For you have taken pledges from your brother for no reason, And stripped the naked of their clothing.
- Proverbs 21:13Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor Will also cry himself and not be heard.
- Isaiah 27:11When its boughs are withered, they will be broken off; The women come and set them on fire. For it is a people of no understanding; Therefore He who made them will not have mercy on them, And He who formed them will show them no favor.
- Matthew 5:7Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy.
- Matthew 6:15But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
- Matthew 7:1“Judge not, that you be not judged.
- Matthew 18:28“But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’
- Matthew 25:41“Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:
- Luke 16:25But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented.
- Psalms 85:10Mercy and truth have met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed.
- Jeremiah 9:24But let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me, That I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight,” says the Lord.
- Ezekiel 33:11Say to them: ‘As I live,’ says the Lord God, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?’
- Micah 7:18Who is a God like You, Pardoning iniquity And passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, Because He delights in mercy.
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries