< James 2 >
1 My brothers, ye should not have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ of glory, in favoritism.
2 For if a man with a gold ring in bright clothing comes into your synagogue, and also a poor man in dirty clothing comes in,
3 and ye have regard for the man wearing the bright clothing, and say to him, Sit thou here well, and ye say to the poor man, Stand thou there, or sit here below my footstool,
4 then are ye not partial among yourselves, and become judges from evil thoughts?
5 Listen, my beloved brothers, did not God choose the poor of the world, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom, which he promised to those who love him?
6 But ye have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich exploit you, and they themselves drag you into courts?
7 Do they not blaspheme the good name that was called upon you?
8 If ye indeed fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well.
9 But if ye respect personages, ye work sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors.
10 For whoever keeps the whole law, and stumbles on one, he has become guilty of all.
11 For he who said thou shall not commit adultery, also said thou shall not murder. Now if thou will not commit adultery, but murder, thou have become a transgressor of law.
12 So speak ye, and so do ye, as men who are to be judged by a law of liberty.
13 For the judgment is merciless to him who did no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
14 What is the benefit, my brothers, if some man should say to have faith, but has no works? Can the faith save him?
15 And if a brother or sister may be unclothed, and may be destitute of daily food,
16 and some man of you would say to them, Go in peace, be ye warmed and fed, but ye would not give them the things necessary for the body, what is the benefit?
17 So also faith, if it has no works, is dead by itself.
18 But some man will say, Thou have faith, and I have works. Show me thy faith from thy works, and I will show thee from my works my faith.
19 Thou believe that there is one God, thou do well. The demons also believe, and shudder.
20 But do thou want to know, O vain man, that faith apart from works is dead?
21 Was not Abraham our father made righteous from works, having offered up Isaac his son upon the altar?
22 Thou see that faith was working with his works, and from the works, faith was fully perfected.
23 And the scripture was fulfilled, which says, And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him for righteousness, and he was called a friend of God.
24 Ye see therefore that from works a man is made righteous, and not from faith only.
25 And likewise also was not Rahab the harlot made righteous from works, having received the agents, and having sent them out another way?
26 For as the body without a spirit is dead, so also faith without the works is dead.
