James 2:9
But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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What's easy to miss is that showing partiality isn't just a minor slip-up; it's described as "working sin," implying an active, deliberate act that corrupts your whole spiritual being. This behavior doesn't just break one rule; it convicts you as a lawbreaker by showing you've fundamentally misunderstood and violated the core command to love your neighbor.
James is addressing believers in their church gatherings, pointing out that favoring the wealthy over the poor is a serious offense. He argues that this favoritism is a direct violation of the "royal law" to love your neighbor as yourself. By showing partiality, they aren't just breaking one rule, but are proven to be lawbreakers in the eyes of God.
James uses a strong word here, implying more than just a simple mistake. What does it mean to 'work' sin, especially when it comes to showing favoritism?
James tells us that showing partiality is not just an accidental misstep; it's actively "working sin." Think of it like a craftsman building something, but instead of creating something good, they're deliberately crafting something flawed and harmful.
This is a more intense action than simply 'doing' or 'making' a sin. It suggests a deliberate, ongoing effort that builds up something wrong. When we show favoritism, we aren't just committing a single offense; we are actively engaged in a process that damages relationships and goes against God's design.
James says partiality makes you a 'transgressor' convicted by the law. Which law, and how does it convict us?
The 'law' James refers to here is the great commandment: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' When we show favoritism – favoring the rich, looking down on the poor – we fundamentally break this core principle.
This isn't just about a minor rule; it's about violating the very heart of God's law, which demands impartial love for everyone. Being 'convicted' means the law itself serves as the undeniable evidence of our guilt. It holds up a mirror, showing us how our actions fall short and reveal us as lawbreakers, not just in one instance, but as those who have transgressed a foundational divine command.
Understand the original words
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 prohibits showing partiality, especially in judgment, which is the core issue James is addressing, showing the ancient roots of this commandment.
Matthew 22:39Jesus highlights the second greatest commandment, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself,' which James links directly to the sin of partiality, showing how favoritism violates this fundamental principle.
Romans 2:11Paul states that God shows no partiality, reinforcing the idea that this is a divine attribute that believers are called to emulate, making favoritism a direct contradiction to God's nature.
Galatians 3:28This verse declares that in Christ, distinctions like rich and poor are nullified, presenting a powerful theological foundation for why partiality is incompatible with the Christian faith.
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…
What's easy to miss is that showing partiality isn't just a minor slip-up; it's described as "working sin," implying an active, deliberate act that corrupts your whole spiritual being. This behavior doesn't just break one rule; it convicts you as a lawbreaker by showing you've fundamentally misunderstood and violated the core command to love your neighbor.
James is addressing believers in their church gatherings, pointing out that favoring the wealthy over the poor is a serious offense. He argues that this favoritism is a direct violation of the "royal law" to love your neighbor as yourself. By showing partiality, they aren't just breaking one rule, but are proven to be lawbreakers in the eyes of God.
James is addressing believers in their church gatherings, pointing out that favoring the wealthy over the poor is a serious offense. He argues that this favoritism is a direct violation of the "royal law" to love your neighbor as yourself. By showing partiality, they aren't just breaking one rule, but are proven to be lawbreakers in the eyes of God.
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"But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors." — What's easy to miss is that showing partiality isn't just a minor slip-up; it's described as "working sin," implying an active, deliberate act that corrupts your whole spiritual being. This behavior…
