MLV(i)
1 My brethren, do not have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, in favoritism.
2 For if a man comes into your congregation with a gold ring, in bright apparel and if a poor person in filthy apparel also comes in,
3 you may have looked upon the one who is wearing the bright apparel and may have said to him, Sit here; good; and you may have said to the poor person, Stand there or sit here under my footstool.
4 And did you not discern among yourselves and then became judges from evil reasonings?
5 Listen, my beloved brethren. Did God not choose the poor of the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to those who love him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor. Are the rich not oppressing you? And are they themselves not dragging you into the courts? 7 Are they not blaspheming the good name, the one which was surnamed upon you? 8 Nevertheless, if you complete the royal law, according to the Scripture, ‘You will love your neighbor like yourself,’you are doing well. 9 But if you have shown-favoritism, you are working sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors.
10 For who ever will be keeping the whole law and yet will trip in one point, he has become liable to all of it. 11 For he who said, 'Do not commit adultery,' also said, 'Do not murder.' But if you will not commit adultery, but yet you will commit murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12 Speak so and practice so, as one who is about to be judged by the law of freedom. 13 For the judgment is merciless to the one who has not practiced mercy; mercy wins over judgment.
14 My brethren, what is the profit, if someone says he has faith, but does not have works? Is that faith able to save him? 15 But if a brother or sister is naked and may be deficient of daily nourishment, 16 and anyone out of you may say to them, Go away in peace. Be warmed and be fed, but do not give to them the body’s requirements; what is the profit? 17 So also your faith, if it does not have works, is dead in itself.
18 But someone will say, You have faith, and I have works. Show me your faith away from your works. I will also show you my faith from my works. 19 You believe that God is one; you are doing well. The demons also believe and they are shuddering. 20 But O vain man, are you willing to know that faith is dead without works?
21 Was not Abraham our father made righteous from works, having offered up Isaac his son upon the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works and his faith was completed from his works? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, ‘And Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness,' and he was called the friend of God. 24 Now-then, are you seeing that a man is made righteous from works and not from faith alone? 25 Now likewise, was not Rahab the prostitute also made righteous from works, when she accepted the messengers and put them out a different way? 26 For just-as the body without a spirit is dead, so faith without works is also dead.
5 Listen, my beloved brethren. Did God not choose the poor of the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to those who love him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor. Are the rich not oppressing you? And are they themselves not dragging you into the courts? 7 Are they not blaspheming the good name, the one which was surnamed upon you? 8 Nevertheless, if you complete the royal law, according to the Scripture, ‘You will love your neighbor like yourself,’you are doing well. 9 But if you have shown-favoritism, you are working sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors.
10 For who ever will be keeping the whole law and yet will trip in one point, he has become liable to all of it. 11 For he who said, 'Do not commit adultery,' also said, 'Do not murder.' But if you will not commit adultery, but yet you will commit murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12 Speak so and practice so, as one who is about to be judged by the law of freedom. 13 For the judgment is merciless to the one who has not practiced mercy; mercy wins over judgment.
14 My brethren, what is the profit, if someone says he has faith, but does not have works? Is that faith able to save him? 15 But if a brother or sister is naked and may be deficient of daily nourishment, 16 and anyone out of you may say to them, Go away in peace. Be warmed and be fed, but do not give to them the body’s requirements; what is the profit? 17 So also your faith, if it does not have works, is dead in itself.
18 But someone will say, You have faith, and I have works. Show me your faith away from your works. I will also show you my faith from my works. 19 You believe that God is one; you are doing well. The demons also believe and they are shuddering. 20 But O vain man, are you willing to know that faith is dead without works?
21 Was not Abraham our father made righteous from works, having offered up Isaac his son upon the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works and his faith was completed from his works? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, ‘And Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness,' and he was called the friend of God. 24 Now-then, are you seeing that a man is made righteous from works and not from faith alone? 25 Now likewise, was not Rahab the prostitute also made righteous from works, when she accepted the messengers and put them out a different way? 26 For just-as the body without a spirit is dead, so faith without works is also dead.