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 dishonor the poor! Isn’t it the rich who oppress you and drag you into court? 7Aren’t they the ones who slander Jesus Christ, whose noble name you bear? Yes indeed, it is good when you obey the royal law as found in the Scriptures: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 9But if you favor some people over others, you are committing a sin. You are guilty of breaking the law. 10For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God’s laws.

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 whatever you say or whatever you do, remember that you will be judged by the law that sets you free.
• James 1:25But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.
• 1 Peter 2:9But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.
• Leviticus 19:18“Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against a fellow Israelite, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.
• Matthew 22:39A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
• Mark 12:31The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.”
• Luke 10:27The man answered, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
• Romans 13:8Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law.
• Galatians 5:14For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
• Galatians 6:2Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.
• 1 Thessalonians 4:9But we don’t need to write to you about the importance of loving each other, for God himself has taught you to love one another.
• James 2:19You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror.
• 1 Kings 8:18But the Lord told him, ‘You wanted to build the Temple to honor my name. Your intention is good,
• 2 Kings 7:9Finally, they said to each other, “This is not right. This is a day of good news, and we aren’t sharing it with anyone! If we wait until morning, some calamity will certainly fall upon us. Come on, let’s go back and tell the people at the palace.”
• Jonah 4:4The Lord replied, “Is it right for you to be angry about this?”
• Matthew 25:21“The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together! ’

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