1 My brothers, don’t hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ of glory
with partiality. 2 For if a man with a gold ring, in fine clothing, comes
into your assembly, and a poor man in filthy clothing also comes in; 3 and
you pay special attention to him who wears the fine clothing, and say,
“Sit here in a good place;” and you tell the poor man, “Stand there,” or
“Sit by my footstool;” 4 haven’t you shown partiality among
yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts? 5 Listen, my beloved
brothers. Didn’t God choose those who are poor in this world to be rich in
faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to those who love him?
6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Don’t the rich oppress you,
and personally drag you before the courts? 7 Don’t they blaspheme the
honorable name by which you are called? 8 However, if you
fulfill the royal law, according to the Scripture, “You shall love your
neighbor as yourself,” you do well. 9 But if you show
partiality, you commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors.
10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he
has become guilty of all. 11 For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,”
said also, “Do not commit murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but
murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12 So speak, and
so do, as men who are to be judged by a law of freedom. 13 For judgment is
without mercy to him who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
14 What good is it, my brothers, if a man says he has faith, but has no
works? Can that faith save him? 15 And if a brother or sister is naked and
in lack of daily food, 16 and one of you tells them, “Go in peace, be
warmed and filled;” and yet you didn’t give them the things the body
needs, what good is it? 17 Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead in
itself. 18 Yes, a man will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show
me your faith from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith.
19 You believe that God is one. You do well. The demons also believe, and
shudder. 20 But do you want to know, vain man, that faith apart from works
is dead? 21 Wasn’t Abraham our father justified by works, in that he
offered up Isaac his son on the altar? 22 You see that faith worked with
his works, and by works faith was perfected; 23 and the Scripture was
fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him as
righteousness;” and he was called the friend of God. 24 You see then
that by works, a man is justified, and not only by faith. 25 In like
manner wasn’t Rahab the prostitute also justified by works, in that she
received the messengers, and sent them out another way? 26 For as the body
apart from the spirit is dead, even so faith apart from works is dead.
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