1My brothers, do not hold the faith of our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with acts of favoritism.
2For if a man with a gold ring and in splendid clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in filthy clothing also comes in,
3and you look with favor on the one wearing the splendid clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” but to the poor man you say, “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: Did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to those who love him?
6But you have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you, and do they not themselves drag you into court?
7Do they not blaspheme the good name that was invoked over you?
8If, however, you fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well.
9But if you show favoritism, you commit sin, being 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 the one 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 about to be judged by the law of liberty.
13For judgment is without mercy to the one who has not shown mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.
14What is the benefit, my brothers, if someone claims to have 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, be warmed and be filled,” but you do not give them what the body needs, what is the benefit?
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 your works, and I will show you my faith from my works.
19You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder.
20But are you willing to recognize, 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, “And Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend.
24You see that a person 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 apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.
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