[1] My brothers, don`t hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, [the Lord]
of glory, with respect of persons. [2] For if a man with a gold ring, in
fine clothing, comes into your assembly, and there come in also a poor man
in filthy clothing; [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 showed 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
without 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.
