- My brothers, as believers in our glorious
Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism.
- Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing
a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes
in.
- If you show special attention to the man
wearing fine clothes and say, "Here's a good seat for you," but
say to the poor man, "You stand there" or "Sit on the floor
by my feet,"
- have you not discriminated among yourselves
and become judges with evil thoughts ?
- Listen, my dear brothers: 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 those who love him ?
- But you have insulted the poor. Is it not
the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging
you into court ?
- Are they not the ones who are slandering
the noble name of him to whom you belong ?
- If you really keep the royal law found
in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing
right.
- But if you show favoritism, you sin and
are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.
- For whoever keeps the whole law and yet
stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.
- For he who said, "Do not commit adultery,"
also said, "Do not murder." If you do not commit adultery but
do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.
- Speak and act as those who are going to
be judged by the law that gives freedom,
- because judgment without mercy will be
shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment
!
- What good is it, my brothers, if a man
claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him
?
- Suppose a brother or sister is without
clothes and daily food.
- If one of you says to him, "Go, I
wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his
physical needs, what good is it ?
- In the same way, faith by itself, if it
is not accompanied by action, is dead.
- But someone will say, "You have faith;
I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you
my faith by what I do.
- You believe that there is one God. Good!
Even the demons believe that --
and shudder.
- You foolish man, do you want evidence that
faith without deeds is useless ?
- Was not our ancestor Abraham considered
righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar
?
- You see that his faith and his actions
were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.
- And the scripture was fulfilled that says,
"Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,"
and he was called God's friend.
- You see that a person is justified by what
he does and not by faith alone.
- In the same way, was not even Rahab the
prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to
the spies and sent them off in a different direction
?
- As the body without the spirit is dead,
so faith without deeds is dead.
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