James 2

1My brothers, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus the Messiah with partiality.

2For if a man wearing gold rings and bright clothing enters into your assembly, and a poor man in filthy clothing also enters,

3and if you pay attention to the one wearing the bright clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” and say to the poor man, “You stand there, or sit under my footstool,”

4have you not made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

5Listen, my beloved brothers: has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he promised to those who love him?

6But you have dishonored the poor man. Is it not the rich who oppress you and themselves drag you into courts?

7Do not they themselves blaspheme the good name that was called upon you?

8If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.

9But if you show partiality, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.

10For whoever keeps the whole law but stumbles in one point has become guilty of all of it.

11For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.

12So speak and so act as those who are going to be judged through the law of freedom.

13For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.

14What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?

15If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking daily food,

16and one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and be filled,” but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what benefit is that?

17So also faith, if it does not have works, is dead by itself.

18But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

19You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder.

20But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith apart from works is useless?

21Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?

22You see that faith was working together with his works, and by the works faith was brought to completion.

23And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness,” and he was called a friend of God.

24You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone.

25And likewise, was not Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she welcomed the messengers and sent them out by another way?

26For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.