Godbey - James - 2

2:1  My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect to persons.

2:2  For if a gold-ringed man may come into your synagogue, in shining apparel, and a poor man may also come in with soiled clothing;

2:3  and you may look upon the one wearing the shining garment, and say, Sit thou here in a good place; and may say to the poor man, Stand thou there, or sit down beneath my footstool:

2:4  are you not condemned among yourselves, and have you not become the judges of evil reasonings?

2:5  Hear, my beloved brethren. Has not God chosen the poor in the world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he has promised to those who love him with divine love?

2:6  You have dishonored the poor. Do not the rich domineer over you, and drag you into courts?

2:7  Do they not blaspheme the good name which has been called upon you?

2:8  If indeed you keep the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbor with divine love as thyself, you do well.

2:9  But if you have respect of persons, you commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors.

2:10  For whosoever may keep the whole law, and fail in one item, has become guilty of all.

2:11  For the one saying, Thou shalt not commit adultery also said, Thou shalt not murder; but if you do not commit adultery, but murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.

2:12  So you say, and so you do, as about to be condemned by the law of liberty.

2:13  For judgment is without mercy to him that shows no mercy; but mercy glorieth against judgment.

2:14  But what is it profitable, my brethren, if one may say he has faith, but has not works? whether is faith able to save him?

2:15  If a brother or sister may be naked, and may be destitute of daily food,

2:16  and one of you may say to them, Go in peace, be ye warmed, and be ye fed; and give them not the necessaries of the body; what profit is it?

2:17  So indeed faith, if it may not have works, is dead, as to itself.

2:18  But one will say, You have faith, and I have works: Show me your faith apart from works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

2:19  Do you believe that there is one God? you do well: the demons also believe and tremble.

2:20  Do you wish to know, O vain man, that faith apart from works is inefficient?

2:21  Was not Abraham our father justified by works, having offered up his son Isaac on the altar?

2:22  You see that faith wrought with his works, and by works the faith was made perfect;

2:23  and the scripture was fulfilled, saying, And Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the friend of God.

2:24  You see that a man is justified by works, and not only by faith.

2:25  And likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, having received the spies, and sent them out by another way?

2:26  For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so faith also apart from works is dead.