JamesChapter 2

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¹My brothers and sisters, you believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. So don't treat some people better than others. ²Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes. And a poor man in worn-out clothes comes in too. ³Suppose you pay special attention to the man in fine clothes. You say, "Here's a good seat for you." But you say to the poor man, "You stand over there," or "Sit on the floor by my feet." ⁴Haven't you treated people unequally among yourselves? Haven't you become judges with evil thoughts? ⁵Listen, my dear brothers and sisters. God has chosen the people who are poor in this world to be rich in faith. He has chosen them to receive the kingdom he promised to those who love him. Isn't that true? ⁶But you have treated the poor with disrespect. Aren't the rich the ones who treat you cruelly? Aren't they the ones who drag you into court? ⁷Aren't they the ones who speak evil against the noble name of the one you belong to? ⁸Scripture gives the royal law: "Love your neighbor as yourself." If you really keep this law, you are doing well. ⁹But if you treat some people better than others, you sin. The law shows that you are guilty of breaking it. ¹⁰Suppose someone keeps the whole law but fails at just one point. Then he is guilty of breaking all of it. ¹¹God said, "Do not commit adultery." He also said, "Do not murder." You might not commit adultery, but you might murder. Then you have broken the law. ¹²You will be judged by the law that gives freedom. So speak and act like people who know this. ¹³Anyone who has not shown mercy will be judged without mercy. Mercy wins over judgment. ¹⁴My brothers and sisters, what good is it if someone says he has faith but does no good deeds? Can that kind of faith save him? ¹⁵Suppose a brother or sister has no clothes and no food for the day. ¹⁶Suppose one of you says to that person, "Go in peace. Stay warm and eat well." But you don't give them what their body needs. What good is that? ¹⁷It's the same with faith. If faith doesn't lead to action, it is dead all by itself. ¹⁸But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds. And I will show you my faith by what I do. ¹⁹You believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe that, and they shake with fear. ²⁰You foolish person! Do you want proof that faith without deeds is worthless? ²¹Think about our father Abraham. He offered his son Isaac on the altar. Wasn't he made right with God by what he did? ²²You can see that his faith and his actions were working together. His faith was made complete by what he did. ²³And so the Scripture came true that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." And Abraham was called God's friend. ²⁴So you see that a person is made right with God by what he does, and not by faith alone. ²⁵It was the same with Rahab the prostitute. She welcomed the spies and sent them away by another road. Wasn't she made right with God by what she did? ²⁶A body without the spirit is dead. In the same way, faith without deeds is dead.