James 2:9But if you show partiality, you commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors.
The setting
Jerusalem, ~60 AD. James confronts the ugly reality of social prejudice creeping into Christian gatherings...
The emotion here: stern disappointment at church behavior
The original word
prosōpolēmpteō (προσωπολημπτεῖτε) — to show favoritism based on external appearance
Why it matters
Roman society was strictly stratified with clear social classes that determined legal rights
Read with care
What most readers miss in James 2:9
James uses legal language — 'convicted' and 'transgressors' — making partiality a courtroom offense
Common misconceptionPeople think this only applies to obvious discrimination, but James addresses subtle favoritism — the small ways we treat people differently based on status, appearance, or usefulness to us.
The thread continues
Verses that echo James 2:9
Bible Genome reading
James 2:9 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
James 2:9 comes from the book of James, written during the early_church period. These words are attributed to James. The dominant emotion in this verse is angry, with a comfort power of 10% and a tone that is commanding. It belongs to the teaching genre of biblical literature. Key themes include partiality, sin, judgment. Notable phrases: show partiality; commit sin; transgressors.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same angry
“Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weak say, 'I am strong.'”
— Joel 3:10
“You blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel!”
— Matthew 23:24
“Listen to this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who tell their husba…”
— Amos 4:1
“I hate, I despise your feasts, and I can't stand your solemn assemblies.”
— Amos 5:21
“Your eyes shall not pity; life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.”
— Deuteronomy 19:21
Your reflection
What does James 2:9 mean to you, today?
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