1My brethren, hold not the faith of our Lord of glory, Jesus Christ, with respect of persons.
2For if there come into your assembly a man with a gold ring, in splendid apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment,
3and ye have respect to him that weareth the splendid apparel, and say, Sit thou here in a good place, and say to the poor man, Stand thou there, or, Sit under my footstool,
4have ye not been partial among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?
5Hearken, my beloved brethren. Did not God choose the poor as to the world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to them that love him?
6but ye have despised the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you, and do not they drag you before the judgment-seats?
7Do not they blaspheme the worthy name by which ye are called?
8If indeed ye fulfill the royal law, according to the scripture, “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself,” ye do well.
9But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
10For whoever hath kept the whole law, and yet hath offended in one point, hath become guilty of all.
11For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” said also, “Do not kill.” Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou hast become a transgressor of the law.
12So speak, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.
13For the judgment shall be without mercy to him that showed no mercy. Mercy glorieth against judgment.
14What doth it profit, my brethren, if any one say that he hath faith, and have not works? Can his faith save him?
15If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16and one of you say to them, Depart in peace, be warmed and be filled, notwithstanding ye give them not the things needful for the body, what doth it profit?
17So also faith, if it hath not works, is dead in itself.
18But some one will say, Thou hast faith, and I have works; show me thy faith without works, and I will show thee my faith by my works.
19Thou believest that God is one; thou doest well; the demons also believe, and tremble.
20But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is idle?
21Was not Abraham our father accepted as righteous through works, when he offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
22Thou seest that faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect.
23And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, “Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him for righteousness;” and he was called the friend of God.
24Ye see that by works a man is accounted as righteous, and not by faith only.
25And in like manner was not also Rahab the harlot accounted as righteous through works, when she received the messengers, and sent them out another way?
26For as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.