1 My brethren, hold ye not the faith of the glory of our Lord Jesus the Messiah, with a respect to persons.
2 For if there come into your assembly a man with rings of gold or splendid garments, and there come in a poor man in sordid garments;
3 and ye show respect to him who is clothed in splendid garments, and say to him, Seat thyself here, conspicuously; while to the poor man, ye say, Stand thou there, or sit thou here before my footstool;
4 are ye not divided among yourselves, and become expositors of evil thoughts ?
5 Hear, my beloved brethren; hath not God chosen the poor of the world, but the rich in faith, to be heirs in the kingdom which God hath promised to them that love him?
6 But ye have despised the poor man. Do not rich men exalt themselves over you, and drag you before the tribunals ?
7 Do they not revile that worthy name, which is invoked upon you ?
8 And if in this ye fulfill the law of God, as it is written, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye will do well:
9 but if ye have respect of persons, ye commit sin; and ye are convicted by the law, as transgressors of the law.
10 For he that shall keep the whole law, and yet fail in one [precept], is obnoxious to the whole law.
11 For he who said, Thou shalt not commit adultery, said also, Thou shalt not kill. If then thou commit no adultery, but thou killest, thou hast become a transgressor of the law.
12 So speak ye, and so act, as persons that are to be judged by the law of liberty.
13 For judgment without mercy shall be on him, who hath practised no mercy: by mercy, ye will be raised above judgment.
14 What is the use, my brethren, if a man say, I have faith; and he hath no works ? can his faith vivify him?
15 Or if a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16 and one of you say to them, Go in peace, warm yourselves, and be full; and ye give them not the necessaries of the body, what is the use?
17 So also faith alone, without works, is dead.
18 For a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works; show to me thy faith that is without works; and I will show to thee, my faith by my works.
19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou dost well; the demons also believe, and tremble.
20 Wouldst thou know, O frail man, that faith without works is dead ?
21 Abraham our father, was not he justified by works, in offering his son Isaac upon the altar ?
22 Seest thou, that his faith aided his works; and that by the works his faith was rendered complete?
23 And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith: Abraham believed in God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness, and he was called the Friend of God.
24 Thou seest, that by works a man is justified, and not by faith alone.
25 So also Rahab, the harlot, was not she justified by works, when she entertained the spies, and sent them forth by another way ?
26 As the body without the spirit, is dead; so faith without works, is dead also.
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