A Warning against Favoritism

¹ My brothers, as you hold out your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, do not show favoritism.

² Suppose a man comes into your meeting^* wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. ³ If you lavish attention on the man in fine clothes and say, “Here is a seat of honor,” but say to the poor man, “You must stand” or “Sit at my feet,” ⁴ have you not discriminated^* among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

⁵ Listen, my beloved brothers: Has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom He promised those who love Him? ⁶ But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you and drag you into court? ⁷ Are they not the ones who blaspheme^* the noble name by which you have been called?

⁸ If you really fulfill the royal law stated in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. ⁹ But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.

¹⁰ Whoever keeps the whole law but stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. ¹¹ 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.

¹² Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom. ¹³ For judgment^* without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.^*

Faith and Works

¹⁴ What good is it, my brothers, if someone claims to have faith,^* but has no deeds? Can such faith^* save him? ¹⁵ Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. ¹⁶ If one of you tells him, “Go in peace; stay warm and well fed,” but does not provide for his physical needs, what good is that? ¹⁷ So too, faith by itself, if it does not result in action, is dead.

¹⁸ But^* someone will say, “You have faith and I have deeds.” Show^* me your faith without deeds, and I will show^* you my faith by my deeds. ¹⁹ You believe^* that God is one. Good^* for you! Even the demons believe that^* —^* and shudder.

²⁰ O foolish^* man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is worthless?²¹ Was not our father Abraham justified by what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? ²² You see that his faith was working with his actions, and his faith was perfected by what he did. ²³ And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed^* God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,”^* and he was called a friend of God.²⁴ As you can see, a man is justified^* by his deeds and not by faith alone.

²⁵ In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute justified by her actions when she welcomed the spies and sent them off on another route? ²⁶ As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.