James 2:9 (DRB)

Passage

But if you have respect to persons, you commit sin, being reproved by the law as transgressors.

Nearby Context

James 2:7 Do not they blaspheme the good name that is invoked upon you?

James 2:8 If then you fulfil the royal law, according to the scriptures: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself; you do well.

James 2:9 But if you have respect to persons, you commit sin, being reproved by the law as transgressors.

James 2:10 And whosoever shall keep the whole law, but offend in one point, is become guilty of all.

James 2:11 For he that said: Thou shalt not commit adultery, said also: Thou shalt not kill. Now if thou do not commit adultery, but shalt kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "respect", "persons", "commit", "reproved", and "transgressors". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "respect" and "persons", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 8's "If then you fulfil the royal law..." into verse 10's "And whosoever shall keep the whole law...", so "respect" and "persons" belong inside that flow. In James context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "respect" and "persons" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.