James 2

KJ2000^{(i) 1} My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. ² For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in fine apparel, and there come in also a poor man in shabby clothing; ³ And you have respect to him that wears the fine clothing, and say unto him, Sit here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand there, or sit here under my footstool: ⁴ Are you not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts? ⁵ Hearken, my beloved brethren, Has not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he has promised to them that love him? ⁶ But you have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judges? ⁷ Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by which you are called? ⁸ If you fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, You shall love your neighbor as yourself, you do well: ⁹ But if you have respect to persons, you commit sin, and are convicted of the law as transgressors. ¹⁰ For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. ¹¹ For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if you commit no adultery, yet you kill, you are become a transgressor of the law. ¹² So speak, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. ¹³ For he shall have judgment without mercy, that has showed no mercy; and mercy triumphs over judgment. ¹⁴ What does it profit, my brethren, though a man says he has faith, and has not works? can faith save him? ¹⁵ If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, ¹⁶ And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be warmed and filled; yet you give them not those things which are needful to the body; what does it profit? ¹⁷ Even so faith, if it has not works, is dead, being alone. ¹⁸ Yea, 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. ¹⁹ You believe that there is one God; you do well: the demons also believe, and tremble. ²⁰ But will you know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? ²¹ Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? ²² See how faith worked with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? ²³ And the scripture was fulfilled which says, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. ²⁴ You see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. ²⁵ Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? ²⁶ For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.