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Connecting Statement:
James continues to tell the scattered Jewish believers how to live by loving one another and reminds them not to favor rich people over poor brothers.
My brothers
James considers his audience to be Jewish believers. AT: "My fellow believers" or "My brothers and sisters in Christ"
hold to faith in our Lord Jesus Christ
Believing in Jesus Christ is spoken of as if it were an object that one could hold onto. (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor)
our Lord Jesus Christ
The word "our" includes James and his fellow believers. (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-inclusive)
favoritism toward certain people
the desire to help some people more than others
Suppose that someone
James starts to describe a situation where the believers might give more honor to a rich person than to a poor person. (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-hypo)
wearing gold rings and fine clothes
"dressed like a wealthy person"
sit here in a good place
sit in this place of honor
stand over there
move to a place with less honor
Sit at my feet
move to a humble place
are you not judging among yourselves? Have you not become judges with evil thoughts?
James is using rhetorical questions to teach and possibly scold his readers. AT: "you are making judgments among yourselves and becoming judges with evil thoughts." (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion)