James 2:9 (YLT)

Passage

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

Nearby Context

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;

James 2:10 for whoever the whole law shall keep, and shall stumble in one <FI>point<Fi> , he hath become guilty of all;

James 2:11 for He who is saying, `Thou mayest not commit adultery,' said also, `Thou mayest do no murder;' and if thou shalt not commit adultery, and shalt commit murder, thou hast become a transgressor of law;

Study Lenses

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

The nearby context moves from verse 8's "If indeed royal law ye complete according..." into verse 10's "for whoever the whole law shall keep...", so "accept" 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 "accept" and "persons" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.