independentparticipialrelativecausecomparativecontentconditionaldashed = verbless / suspended
Flush-left = a main (independent) clause. Each dependent line begins directly beneath the word it attaches to in the line above — the anchor word is dotted-underlined, and lights up when you hover its dependent clause; each tag also names the attachment. A dashed border marks verbless, elliptical, or suspended lines. Where a long sentence's staircase runs wider than the page, the diagram scrolls sideways. (In print, or without JavaScript, lines fall back to stepped indent columns.)
Partiality in the assembly 2:1–7
vv. 1–4 — the command, and the synagogue vignette that shames it
1
Ἀδελφοί μου, μὴ ἐν προσωπολημψίαις ἔχετε τὴν πίστιν τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τῆς δόξης.independent — the thesis command — τῆς δόξης read as apposition: the Lord of glory
2
ἐὰν γὰρ εἰσέλθῃ εἰς συναγωγὴν ὑμῶν ἀνὴρ χρυσοδακτύλιος ἐν ἐσθῆτι λαμπρᾷ,conditional — protasis 1 — leans on the question of v. 4: the gold-ringed man enters
εἰσέλθῃ δὲ καὶ πτωχὸς ἐν ῥυπαρᾷ ἐσθῆτι,conditional — protasis 2 — the poor man enters
3
ἐπιβλέψητε δὲ ἐπὶ τὸν φοροῦντα τὴν ἐσθῆτα τὴν λαμπρὰνconditional — protasis 3 — the eyes go to the clothes
καὶ εἴπητε·conditional — protasis 4 — the usher speaks to the rich man
σὺ κάθου ὧδε καλῶς,content — the seat of honor assigned
καὶ τῷ πτωχῷ εἴπητε·conditional — protasis 5 — the same mouth turns to the poor man
σὺ στῆθι ἐκεῖcontent — no seat at all
ἢ κάθου ὑπὸ τὸ ὑποπόδιόν μου,content — or the floor — beneath the speaker's feet
4
οὐ διεκρίθητε ἐν ἑαυτοῖςindependent — the apodosis-question — οὐ expects 'yes'
καὶ ἐγένεσθε κριταὶ διαλογισμῶν πονηρῶν;independent — the verdict on the verdict-givers
vv. 5–7 — the appeal: God chose the poor; the rich are the oppressors
5
Ἀκούσατε, ἀδελφοί μου ἀγαπητοί·independent — the summons — the prophet's Ἀκούσατε
οὐχ ὁ θεὸς ἐξελέξατο τοὺς πτωχοὺς τῷ κόσμῳ πλουσίους ἐν πίστει καὶ κληρονόμους τῆς βασιλείαςindependent — οὐχ-question 1 — God's election runs opposite to yours
ἧς ἐπηγγείλατο τοῖς ἀγαπῶσιν αὐτόν;relative — on τῆς βασιλείας — promised to those who love him (cf. 1:12)
6
ὑμεῖς δὲ ἠτιμάσατε τὸν πτωχόν.independent — the counter-charge — emphatic ὑμεῖς against God's choice
οὐχ οἱ πλούσιοι καταδυναστεύουσιν ὑμῶνindependent — οὐχ-question 2 — the flattered class is the oppressing class
καὶ αὐτοὶ ἕλκουσιν ὑμᾶς εἰς κριτήρια;independent — the question doubled — dragged to the tribunals
7
οὐκ αὐτοὶ βλασφημοῦσιν τὸ καλὸν ὄνομα τὸ ἐπικληθὲν ἐφ’ ὑμᾶς;independent — οὐκ-question 3 — the name named over you (baptismal), blasphemed
The royal law — mercy over judgment 2:8–13
vv. 8–9 — the royal law fulfilled, or partiality convicted
8
εἰ μέντοι νόμον τελεῖτε βασιλικὸν κατὰ τὴν γραφήν·conditional — protasis — leans on καλῶς ποιεῖτε below
ἀγαπήσεις τὸν πλησίον σου ὡς σεαυτόν,content — Lev 19:18 — the royal law quoted
καλῶς ποιεῖτε·independent — apodosis — the sincere concession
9
εἰ δὲ προσωπολημπτεῖτε,conditional — counter-protasis — the case actually in hand
ἁμαρτίαν ἐργάζεσθεindependent — apodosis — partiality named ἁμαρτία outright
ἐλεγχόμενοι ὑπὸ τοῦ νόμου ὡς παραβάται.participial — attendant — the same law of v. 8 turns prosecutor
vv. 10–11 — the whole-law argument: one Lawgiver behind every command
10
ὅστις γὰρ ὅλον τὸν νόμον τηρήσῃ,conditional — conditional relative (ὅστις ≈ ἐάν τις) — leans on γέγονεν below
πταίσῃ δὲ ἐν ἑνί,conditional — the one stumble
γέγονεν πάντων ἔνοχος.independent — apodosis — the law is one garment; tear it anywhere
11
ὁ γὰρ εἰπών·independent — the subject suspended — one Speaker behind both commands
μὴ μοιχεύσῃς,content — Exod 20:14; Deut 5:18 — the seventh commandment
εἶπεν καί·independent — the main verb — the same voice
μὴ φονεύσῃς·content — Exod 20:13; Deut 5:17 — the sixth commandment
εἰ δὲ οὐ μοιχεύεις, φονεύεις δέ,conditional — protasis — leans on γέγονας below
γέγονας παραβάτης νόμου.independent — apodosis — παραβάτης, the word of v. 9, now proven
vv. 12–13 — the application: speak and act under the law of liberty
12
οὕτως λαλεῖτε καὶ οὕτως ποιεῖτεindependent — the double imperative — speech and deed together (as in vv. 14–16)
ὡς διὰ νόμου ἐλευθερίας μέλλοντες κρίνεσθαι.comparative — ὡς + participle — the standard: the law of liberty (1:25)
13
ἡ γὰρ κρίσις ἀνέλεος τῷ μὴ ποιήσαντι ἔλεος·cause — why that judgment matters — verbless maxim, measure for measure
κατακαυχᾶται ἔλεος κρίσεως.independent — asyndetic close — the aphorism that ends the first half
Faith without works — the challenge 2:14–19
vv. 14–17 — the Τί τὸ ὄφελος frame and the naked-brother vignette
14
Τί τὸ ὄφελος, ἀδελφοί μου,independent — the frame-question — verbless, and it will return (v. 16)
ἐὰν πίστιν λέγῃ τις ἔχειν,conditional — backward protasis, on ὄφελος — λέγῃ: it is a claimed faith
ἔργα δὲ μὴ ἔχῃ;conditional — the missing works
μὴ δύναται ἡ πίστις σῶσαι αὐτόν;independent — μή expects 'no' — the article anaphoric: THAT faith, the claimed one
15
ἐὰν ἀδελφὸς ἢ ἀδελφὴ γυμνοὶ ὑπάρχωσιν καὶ λειπόμενοι τῆς ἐφημέρου τροφῆς,conditional — protasis 1 — leans on the question of v. 16b: the need in the flesh
16
εἴπῃ δέ τις αὐτοῖς ἐξ ὑμῶν·conditional — protasis 2 — words offered instead
ὑπάγετε ἐν εἰρήνῃ, θερμαίνεσθε καὶ χορτάζεσθε,content — the pious dismissal — blessing without bread
μὴ δῶτε δὲ αὐτοῖς τὰ ἐπιτήδεια τοῦ σώματος,conditional — protasis 3 — the gift withheld
τί τὸ ὄφελος;independent — the frame closes — the same verbless question as v. 14
17
οὕτως καὶ ἡ πίστις,independent — the verdict begins — the subject suspended over its protasis
ἐὰν μὴ ἔχῃ ἔργα,conditional — protasis — leans on νεκρά ἐστιν below
νεκρά ἐστιν καθ’ ἑαυτήν.independent — apodosis — νεκρά, the word v. 26 will repeat
vv. 18–19 — the objector, and the monotheism jab
18
Ἀλλ’ ἐρεῖ τις·independent — the objector introduced — the diatribe's τις (cf. Rom 9:19)
σὺ πίστιν ἔχεις,content — the objector's slogan — divide the gifts:
κἀγὼ ἔργα ἔχω·content — …as if faith and works were separable portfolios
δεῖξόν μοι τὴν πίστιν σου χωρὶς τῶν ἔργων,independent — James's riposte begins — the quote is read as ending at ἔχω
κἀγώ σοι δείξω ἐκ τῶν ἔργων μου τὴν πίστιν.independent — the counter-demonstration — faith made visible only in works
19
σὺ πιστεύειςindependent — the jab — the creed granted
ὅτι εἷς ἐστιν ὁ θεός;content — the Shema (Deut 6:4) — orthodoxy itself
καλῶς ποιεῖς·independent — the mock concession — echoing v. 8
καὶ τὰ δαιμόνια πιστεύουσινindependent — the deflation — the demons hold the same creed
καὶ φρίσσουσιν.independent — and they at least shudder — workless faith below demon-grade
Abraham, Rahab, and the body without breath 2:20–26
vv. 20–24 — the Abraham argument: faith completed by works, Scripture fulfilled
20
θέλεις δὲ γνῶναι, ὦ ἄνθρωπε κενέ,independent — the turn — the objector addressed as κενέ, empty
ὅτι ἡ πίστις χωρὶς τῶν ἔργων ἀργή ἐστιν;content — ἀργή — the wordplay: ἀ-εργή, work-less faith does not work
21
Ἀβραὰμ ὁ πατὴρ ἡμῶν οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων ἐδικαιώθηindependent — οὐκ expects 'yes' — ἐδικαιώθη demonstrative: vindicated in evidence, not Paul's initial acquittal
ἀνενέγκας Ἰσαὰκ τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον;participial — temporal — the Aqedah (Gen 22), the work that proved Gen 15
22
βλέπειςindependent — the evidential verb — the case rests on what can be seen
ὅτι ἡ πίστις συνήργει τοῖς ἔργοις αὐτοῦcontent — συνήργει — faith the co-worker, not the spectator
καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἔργων ἡ πίστις ἐτελειώθη,content — ἐτελειώθη — works do not create faith; they finish it
23
καὶ ἐπληρώθη ἡ γραφὴ ἡ λέγουσα·independent — Gen 22 as the πλήρωσις of Gen 15 — promise ratified in deed
ἐπίστευσεν δὲ Ἀβραὰμ τῷ θεῷ,content — Gen 15:6 — Paul's own proof-text (Rom 4:3), quoted by James
καὶ ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην,content — Gen 15:6 — the reckoning stands; the Aqedah displayed it
καὶ φίλος θεοῦ ἐκλήθη.independent — James's coda, not the quotation — Isa 41:8; 2 Chr 20:7
24
ὁρᾶτεindependent — the summary verb — plural now: the whole audience
ὅτι ἐξ ἔργων δικαιοῦται ἄνθρωπος καὶ οὐκ ἐκ πίστεως μόνον.content — the thesis — δικαιοῦται demonstrative; the target is μόνον, a word Rom 3:28 never says
vv. 25–26 — the Rahab parallel and the corpse comparison
25
ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ Ῥαὰβ ἡ πόρνη οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων ἐδικαιώθηindependent — the second witness (Deut 19:15) — from patriarch to prostitute
ὑποδεξαμένη τοὺς ἀγγέλουςparticipial — temporal — Josh 2: the welcome
καὶ ἑτέρᾳ ὁδῷ ἐκβαλοῦσα;participial — temporal — the risky deed that embodied her faith (Josh 2:9–11)
26
ὥσπερ γὰρ τὸ σῶμα χωρὶς πνεύματος νεκρόν ἐστιν,comparative — ὥσπερ — leans forward on the οὕτως line below, protasis-fashion
οὕτως καὶ ἡ πίστις χωρὶς ἔργων νεκρά ἐστιν.independent — the seal — νεκρά (v. 17) repeated: a corpse, not a defective faith but no faith
Analysis. James 2 is diatribe from end to end, and it reads like Romans 3 with the furniture rearranged: rapid flush-left purple questions and verdicts, olive protases leaning forward on the lines they set up, and blue content columns wherever a voice is quoted — the usher's seat-assignments (v. 3), the pious dismissal ὑπάγετε ἐν εἰρήνῃ (v. 16), the two commandments out of the Decalogue (v. 11), Lev 19:18 under ἡ γραφή (v. 8), Gen 15:6 under ἡ γραφὴ ἡ λέγουσα (v. 23), and the objector's slogan (v. 18). The chapter's two halves share one skeleton: a vignette built as a long olive protasis chain (the synagogue scene, vv. 2–3; the naked brother, vv. 15–16) that crashes into a flush-left question (οὐ διεκρίθητε; τί τὸ ὄφελος;), then an argument from Scripture. Interpretive choices the layout takes a side on: τῆς δόξης (v. 1) is read as apposition to the whole title — 'our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory'; the ὅστις clause of v. 10 is set as a forward-leaning conditional relative (≈ ἐάν τις), protasis-fashion; the objector's speech in v. 18 is limited to σὺ πίστιν ἔχεις, κἀγὼ ἔργα ἔχω, with δεῖξόν μοι beginning James's riposte; and δικαιοῦται/ἐδικαιώθη (vv. 21, 24, 25) is taken in its demonstrative sense — shown righteous in the court of evidence, the sense βλέπεις and ὁρᾶτε demand — so that James contradicts not Rom 3:28 but the slogan ἐκ πίστεως μόνον, a μόνον Paul never wrote. The closing ὥσπερ line (v. 26) leans forward over its οὕτως apodosis exactly as the protases do: body without breath, faith without works — one corpse, twice named νεκρά.