Jas 2
1
My brethren, hold not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, [the Lord] of glory, with
respect of persons.
2
For if there come into your synagogue a man with a gold ring, in fine clothing, and
there come in also a poor man in vile clothing;
3
and you have regard to him whom wears the fine clothing, and say, Sit you here in
a good place; and you say to the poor man, Stand you there, or sit under my footstool;
4
Do you not make distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?
5
Hearken, my beloved brethren; did not God choose them that are poor as to the world
[to be] rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to them that love
him?
6
But you have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you, and themselves
drag you before the judgment-seats?
7
Do not they blaspheme the honorable name by which you are called?
8
Nevertheless if you fulfill the royal law, according to the scripture, You shall love
your neighbor as yourself, you do well:
9
but if you have respect of persons, 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 is become
guilty of all.
11
For he who said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if you do not
commit adultery, but kill, you are become a transgressor of the law.
12
So speak you, and so do, as men that are to be judged by a law of liberty.
13
For judgment [is] without mercy to him whom has showed no mercy: mercy glories against
judgment.
14
What does it profit, my brethren, if a man say he has faith, but have not works? can
that faith save him?
15
If a brother or sister be naked and in lack of daily food,
16
and one of you say to them, Go in peace, be you warmed and filled; and yet you give
them not the things needful to the body; what does it profit?
17
Even so faith, if it have not works, is dead in itself.
18
Yea, a man will say, You have faith, and I have works: show me your faith apart from
[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 will you know, O vain man, that faith apart from works is barren?
21
Was not Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son
upon the altar?
22
You see that faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect;
23
and the scripture was fulfilled which says, And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned
to him for righteousness; and he was called the friend of God.
24
You see that by works a man is justified, and not only by faith.
25
And in like manner was not also Rahab the harlot 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.