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[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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