1 The Sin of Favoritism My brothers, do not hold your faith in our 2:1 Or Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious one glorious Lord Jesus Christ withan attitude ofpersonal favoritism.
2 For if a man comes into your 2:2Or synagogue assembly with a gold ring and dressed in bright clothes, and there also comes in a poor man in dirty clothes,
3 and you 2:3 Lit look at pay special attention to the one who is wearing the bright clothes, and say, “You sit here in a good place,” and you say to the poor man, “You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool,”
4 have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?
5 Listen, my beloved brothers: did not God choose the poor 2:5Lit to the of this worldto berich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?
6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Is it not the rich who oppress you and they themselves drag you into 2:6Lit courts court?
7 Do they not blaspheme the good name 2:7Lit which has been called upon you by which you have been called?
8 If, however, you are fulfilling the 2:8 Or law of our King royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.
9 But if you show partiality, you are committing sin, being convicted by the 2:9Or Law law as transgressors.
10 For whoever keeps the whole 2:10Or Law law and yet stumbles in onepoint, he has become guilty of all.
11 For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but murder, you have become a transgressor of the 2:11 Or Law law.
12 So speak and so act as those who are to be judged bythelaw of freedom.
13 For judgmentwill bemerciless to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy 2:13Lit boasts against triumphs over judgment.Faith and Works
14 What use is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can 2:14 Lit the that faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food,
16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, 2:16Or warm yourselves and fill yourselves be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary fortheirbody, what use is that?
17 Even so faith, if it has no works, is 2:17Or dead by its own standards dead by itself.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith; and I have works. Show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”
19 You believe that 2:19 One early ms there is one God God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.
20 But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless?
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?
22 You see that faith was working with his works, and 2:22Or by the deeds as a result of the works, faith was 2:22Or completed perfected.
23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “AndAbraham believedGod,and it was counted to him as righteousness,” and he was called the friend of God.
24 You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone.
25 And in the same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way?
26 For just as the body withoutthespirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.