James 2

1My brethren, hold not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, `the Lord' of glory, with respect of persons.● 2For if there come into your synagogue a man with a gold ring, in fine clothing, and there come in also a poor man in vile clothing;● 3and ye have regard to him that weareth the fine clothing, and say, Sit thou here in a good place; and ye say to the poor man, Stand thou there, or sit under my footstool;● 4Do ye not make distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?● 5Hearken, my beloved brethren; did not God choose them that are 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 dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you, and themselves drag you before the judgment-seats?● 7Do not they blaspheme the honorable name by which ye are called?● 8Howbeit if ye fulfil the royal law, according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well:● 9but if ye have respect of persons, ye commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors.● 10For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one `point', he is become guilty of all.● 11For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou dost not commit adultery, but killest, thou art become a transgressor of the law.● 12So speak ye, and so do, as men that are to be judged by a law of liberty.● 13For judgment `is' without mercy to him that hath showed no mercy: mercy glorieth against judgment.● 14What doth it profit, my brethren, if a man say he hath faith, but have not works? can that faith save him?● 15If a brother or sister be naked and in lack of daily food,● 16and one of you say unto them, Go in peace, be ye warmed and filled; and yet ye give them not the things needful to the body; what doth it profit?● 17Even so faith, if it have not works, is dead in itself.● 18Yea, a man will say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith apart from `thy' works, and I by my works will show thee `my' faith.● 19Thou believest that God is one; thou doest well: the demons also believe, and shudder.● 20But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith apart from works is barren?● 21Was not Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up 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, And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness; and he was called the friend of God.● 24Ye see that by works a man is justified, and not only by faith.● 25And in like manner was not also Rahab the harlot justified by works, in that she received the messengers, and sent them out another way?● 26For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, even so faith apart from works is dead.●