Chapter 2

  My brothers, don't hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, [the Lord] of glory, with respect of persons.  

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  For if a man with a gold ring, in fine clothing, comes into your assembly, and there come in also a poor man in filthy clothing;  

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  and you pay special attention to him who wears the fine clothing, and say, 'Sit here in a good place;' and you tell the poor man, 'Stand there,' or 'Sit by my footstool;'  

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  haven't you shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?  

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  Listen, my beloved brothers. Didn't God choose those who are poor in this world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to those who love him?  

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  But you have dishonored the poor man. Don't the rich oppress you, and personally drag you before the courts?  

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  Don't they blaspheme the honorable name by which you are called?  

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  However, if you fulfill the royal law, according to the Scripture, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself,' you do well.  

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  But if you show partiality, you commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors.  

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  For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he has become guilty of all.  

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  For he who said, 'Do not commit adultery,' said also, 'Do not commit murder.' Now if you do not commit adultery, but murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.  

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  So speak, and so do, as men who are to be judged by a law of freedom.  

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  For judgment is without mercy to him who has showed no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.  

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  What good is it, my brothers, if a man says he has faith, but has no works? Can that faith save him?  

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  And if a brother or sister is naked and in lack of daily food,  

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  and one of you tells them, 'Go in peace, be warmed and filled;' and yet you didn't give them the things the body needs, what good is it?  

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  Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead in itself.  

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  Yes, a man will say, 'You have faith, and I have works.' Show me your faith without your works, and I by my works will show you my faith.  

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  You believe that God is one. You do well. The demons also believe, and shudder.  

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  But do you want to know, vain man, that faith apart from works is dead?  

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  Wasn't Abraham, our father, justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?  

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  You see that faith worked with his works, and by works faith was perfected;  

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  and the scripture was fulfilled which says, 'Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him as righteousness;' and he was called the friend of God.  

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

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  In like manner wasn't Rahab the prostitute also justified by works, in that she received the messengers, and sent them out another way?  

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  For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, even so faith apart from works is dead.  

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