But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
English Standard Version (ESV)
When James says you "work sin" by showing favoritism, he's not just saying you've made a mistake; he means your very actions produce and manifest sin itself. Furthermore, the "law" that convicts you isn't just a list of rules, but the very principle of love for neighbor, revealing that partiality fundamentally contradicts its heart.
But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
English Standard Version (ESV)
James is addressing a church community where favoritism is creeping in, specifically favoring the wealthy over the poor during gatherings. He just established that showing partiality goes against the "royal law" of loving your neighbor as yourself. This verse intensifies that by declaring such favoritism isn't just a minor slip-up, but a fundamental sin that proves them to be lawbreakers.
What does it mean to 'work sin'? James uses a powerful verb here, suggesting that partiality isn't just a slip-up, but an active creation of wrongdoing.
James doesn't mince words: showing partiality is sin. He uses the strong phrase 'work sin,' which implies actively producing or creating a sinful outcome. This isn't about accidentally favoring someone; it's about a conscious decision that leads to an unjust result.
Think about it: when you favor one person over another based on status, wealth, or appearance, you are actively engineering a situation that is unfair. This action doesn't just 'happen'; it is done. It corrupts relationships and violates the core principles of God's law.
James declares that partiality 'convicts' you as a transgressor. What does this judicial language mean for our understanding of God's law?
When James says you are 'convinced by the law as transgressors,' he's speaking in legal terms. The Law of God acts like a judge and jury. Your act of partiality is brought before this judge, and the verdict is clear: guilty. You have broken the law.
This isn't just about breaking one minor rule. According to the Old Testament Law, and echoed by Jesus, the command to 'love your neighbor as yourself' is paramount. Showing partiality—favoring the rich, ignoring the poor—directly violates this overarching principle. You might think you're only breaking a small rule, but James reveals that partiality is a fundamental breach of the entire Law, marking you as someone who doesn't uphold its core values.
Understand the original words
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prosōpolēmpteō · Greek Verb
The act of judging, favoring, or discriminating against others based on social status, wealth, or outward appearance, violating the principle of equality before God.
hamartia · Greek Noun
An action, thought, or attitude that misses the mark of God's perfect standard, representing an act of rebellion or disobedience against His will.
parabatēs · Greek Noun
Someone who has stepped over a boundary or violated a specific law or commandment of God, thereby incurring legal guilt.
This passage directly states the law James is referencing: 'You shall not show partiality to the poor or favor to the great, but in justice you shall judge your neighbor.' It highlights the specific prohibition against favoritism that James is addressing.
Matthew 7:12Jesus' summary of the law, the 'Golden Rule,' is a profound parallel. Treating others with partiality clearly violates the principle of doing to others as you would have them do to you.
Romans 2:11Paul echoes James' teaching on impartiality, stating, 'For God shows no partiality.' This reinforces the divine standard and the seriousness of favoritism within the Christian community.
Galatians 3:28This verse speaks to the unity in Christ that transcends social distinctions: 'There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.' Favoritism directly undermines this foundational truth of the gospel.
barnesJames 2:9: "But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors."
But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin - You transgress the plain law of God, and do wrong. See the references on James 2:1 . And are convinced of the law as transgressors - Greek "By the law." The word convinced is now used in a somewhat different sense from what it was formerly. It now commonly refers to the impression made on a man's mind by showing him the truth of a thing…
vincentJames 2:9: "But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors."
Ye have respect to persons (προσωπολημπτεῖτε)Only here in New Testament. See on James 2:1.Ye commit sin (ἁμαρτίαν ἐργάζεσθε)Lit., "work sin." Compare Matthew 7:23; Acts 10:35; Hebrews 11:33. The phrase is rather stronger than the more common ἁμαρτίαν ποιεῖν, to do sin, John 8:34; James 5:15; 1 Peter 2:22. The position of sin is emphatic: "it is sin that ye are working."And are c…
When James says you "work sin" by showing favoritism, he's not just saying you've made a mistake; he means your very actions produce and manifest sin itself. Furthermore, the "law" that convicts you isn't just a list of rules, but the very principle of love for neighbor, revealing that partiality fundamentally contradicts its heart.
James is addressing a church community where favoritism is creeping in, specifically favoring the wealthy over the poor during gatherings. He just established that showing partiality goes against the "royal law" of loving your neighbor as yourself. This verse intensifies that by declaring such favoritism isn't just a minor slip-up, but a fundamental sin that proves them to be lawbreakers.
James is addressing a church community where favoritism is creeping in, specifically favoring the wealthy over the poor during gatherings. He just established that showing partiality goes against the "royal law" of loving your neighbor as yourself. This verse intensifies that by declaring such favoritism isn't just a minor slip-up, but a fundamental sin that proves them to be lawbreakers.
"But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors." — When James says you "work sin" by showing favoritism, he's not just saying you've made a mistake; he means your very actions produce and manifest sin itself. Furthermore, the "law" that convicts…
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Last reviewed October 2026