James 2:7 (YLT)

Passage

do they not themselves speak evil of the good name that was called upon you?

Nearby Context

James 2:5 Hearken, my brethren beloved, did not God choose the poor of this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the reign that He promised to those loving Him?

James 2:6 and ye did dishonour the poor one; do not the rich oppress you and themselves draw you to judgment-seats;

James 2:7 do they not themselves speak evil of the good name that was called upon you?

James 2:8 If, indeed, royal law ye complete, according to the Writing, `Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself,' --ye do well;

James 2:9 and if ye accept persons, sin ye do work, being convicted by the law as transgressors;

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "called", "themselves", "speak", "evil", "good", "name", and "upon". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "called" and "themselves", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 6's "and ye did dishonour the poor one..." into verse 8's "If indeed royal law ye complete according...", so "called" and "themselves" 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 "called" and "themselves" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.