1. My brethren, do not have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with unfair preference for certain persons.
2. For if there comes to your assembly a man with a gold ring, in beautiful apparel, and there comes in also a poor man in shabby clothing;
3. And you have respect for him who wears the beautiful clothing, and say to him, Sit here in a good place; and say to the poor man, Stand there, or sit here under my footrest:
4. Are you not then biased within yourselves, and have become judges having evil thoughts?
5. Listen, 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 those who love him?
6. But you have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?
7. Do they not 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 unfair preference for certain persons, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
10. For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
11. For he who said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if you commit no adultery, yet if you kill, you have become a transgressor of the law.
12. So speak ye, and so do, as those who shall be judged by the law of liberty.
13. For he shall have judgment without mercy that has shown no mercy; and mercy rejoices against 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 is naked, and destitute of daily food,
16. And one of you says to them, Depart in peace, be warmed and filled; however you do not give them those things which are necessary for 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 devils also believe, and tremble.
20. But do you desire to know, O foolish 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 cooperated 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 to him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
24. You see then 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.