RKJNT - James - 2

2:1  My brethren, do not hold your faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality.

2:2  For if there comes into your assembly a man with a gold ring, in fine apparel, and there also comes in a poor man in shabby clothing,

2:3  And you pay special attention to him who wears the fine clothing, and say to him, Sit here in a good place; and say to the poor man, Stand there, or sit here beside my footstool:

2:4  Have you not then discriminated among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?

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

2:6  But you have despised the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you, and drag you into court?

2:7  Is it not they who blaspheme the noble name by which you have been called?

2:8  If you fulfill the royal law, according to the scripture, You shall love your neighbour as yourself, you do well,

2:9  But if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors.

2:10  For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble at one point, is guilty of breaking it all.

2:11  For he who said, Do not commit adultery, also said, Do not kill. Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do kill, you have become a transgressor of the law.

2:12  So speak, and so act, as those who shall be judged by the law of liberty.

2:13  For he shall receive judgment without mercy, who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.

2:14  What does it profit, my brethren, if a man say he has faith, but has not works? can that faith save him?

2:15  If a brother or sister is without clothing, and destitute of daily food,

2:16  And one of you says to him, Depart in peace, be warmed and filled; yet you do not give him the things which are necessary for the body; of what benefit is that?

2:17  Even so faith, if it does not have works, is dead, being alone.

2:18  But a man may say, You have faith, and I have works: show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

2:19  You believe that there is one God; you do well: the devils believe also, and tremble.

2:20  Do you want to be shown, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?

2:21  Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he offered Isaac his son upon the altar?

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

2:23  And the scripture was fulfilled which says, Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

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

2:25  And in the same way was not Rahab the prostitute justified by works, when she received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?

2:26  For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead.