If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well;
Parallel translations
- WEB However, if you fulfill the royal law, according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well.
- KJV If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:
- BSB If you really fulfill the royal law stated in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.
- NASB If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.
- NLT Yes indeed, it is good when you obey the royal law as found in the Scriptures: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
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
Fulfilling the royal law, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," is doing well. Impartial love is the law's true fulfillment.
Overview
James appeals to the supreme command of neighbor-love (Leviticus 19:18), which Jesus identified as central. He calls it the "royal law"—fitting for the King's people and sovereign over all conduct. Genuine obedience to this law leaves no room for the partiality James has condemned, for true love treats every neighbor with equal regard.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 20
- Lev 19:18“‘You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people; but you shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am Yahweh.
- Gal 5:14For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
- Matt 22:39A second likewise is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’
- Jas 2:12So speak, and so do, as men who are to be judged by a law of freedom.
- Rom 13:8–9Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.
- Mark 12:31–33The second is like this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
- Gal 6:2Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
- Lev 19:34The stranger who lives as a foreigner with you shall be to you as the native-born among you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you lived as foreigners in the land of Egypt. I am Yahweh your God.
- Jas 1:25But he who looks into the perfect law of freedom, and continues, not being a hearer who forgets, but a doer of the work, this man will be blessed in what he does.
- 1 Pet 2:9But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:
- Luke 10:27–37He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.”
- 2 Kgs 7:9Then they said to one another, “We aren’t doing right. Today is a day of good news, and we keep silent. If we wait until the morning light, punishment will overtake us. Now therefore come, let’s go and tell the king’s household.”
- Jonah 4:4Yahweh said, “Is it right for you to be angry?”
- Matt 25:23“His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’
- 1 Kgs 8:18But Yahweh said to David my father, ‘Whereas it was in your heart to build a house for my name, you did well that it was in your heart.
- Phil 4:14However you did well that you shared in my affliction.
- 1 Th 4:9But concerning brotherly love, you have no need that one write to you. For you yourselves are taught by God to love one another,
- Jonah 4:9God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the vine?” He said, “I am right to be angry, even to death.”
- Jas 2:19You believe that God is one. You do well. The demons also believe, and shudder.
- Matt 25:21“His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’
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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 2:8 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
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