| Chapter 2 |
| 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 goodly
apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; |
| 3 | And ye
have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou
here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under
my footstool: |
|
4 | Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are
become judges of evil thoughts? |
| 5 | Hearken, my beloved brethren,
Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the
kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? |
| 6 | But ye have
despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the
judgment seats? |
|
7 | Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which
ye are called? |
|
8 | If ye fulfil the royal law according to the
scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: |
| 9 |
But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced 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 thou commit no
adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.
|
| 12 | So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of
liberty. |
| 13
| For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath
shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment. |
| 14 | What doth it
profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have 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
ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are
needful to the body; what doth it profit? |
|
17 | Even so faith, if it hath
not works, is dead, being alone. |
| 18 | Yea, a man may say, Thou hast
faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew
thee my faith by my works. |
|
19 | Thou believest that there is one God;
thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. |
| 20 | But wilt
thou 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
| Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works
was faith made perfect? |
| 23 | And the scripture was fulfilled which saith,
Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was
called the Friend of God. |
|
24 | Ye 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. |
