For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God’s laws.
Parallel translations
- WEB For whoever keeps the whole law, and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.
- KJV For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
- BSB Whoever keeps the whole law but stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.
- NKJV For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.
- NASB For whoever keeps the whole Law, yet stumbles in one point, has become guilty of all.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Whoever keeps the whole law but stumbles at one point is guilty of breaking all of it. God's law is a unified whole, and any breach is real guilt.
Overview
James states a sobering principle: the law expresses the will of one Lawgiver, so violating one command offends against the whole. This dismantles any notion that favoritism is a trivial exception. By showing that none can keep the law perfectly, the verse points to humanity's need for the grace and forgiveness found in Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 3
- Gal 3:10For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse. For it is written, “Cursed is everyone who doesn’t continue in all things that are written in the book of the law, to do them.”
- Matt 5:18–19For most certainly, I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not even one smallest letter or one tiny pen stroke shall in any way pass away from the law, until all things are accomplished.
- Deut 27:26‘Cursed is he who doesn’t uphold the words of this law by doing them.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen.’”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The wisdom from above and the royal law of love are the life of those who belong to 'our glorious Lord Jesus Christ' — faith in him made visible in works.
How James 2:10 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.