James 2

1My brothers and sisters, do not hold the faith of our glorious Lord Jesus Christ while showing favoritism.

2For suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing gold rings and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in.

3If you pay special attention to the one wearing fine clothes and say, “Here is a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit on the floor by my footstool,”

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

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

6But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who are oppressing you? Are they not the ones who drag you into court?

7Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name that was invoked over you?

8If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.

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

10For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point has become guilty of breaking all of it.

11For the one who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but you do murder, you have become a lawbreaker.

12Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom.

13For judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

14What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? Can that kind of faith save him?

15Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and lacks daily food.

16If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and eat well,” but does not give them what the body needs, what good is that?

17So it is with faith as well: if it has no works, it is dead on its own.

18But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

19You believe that God is one. Good! Even the demons believe that, and they shudder.

20Do you want to know, you foolish person, that faith without works is useless?

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

22You see that his faith was working together with his works, and his faith was made complete by his works.

23And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “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.

25In the same way, was not Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she welcomed the messengers and sent them off by another road?

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