[1] My brethren, hold not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.
[2] For if there come into your synagogue a man with a gold ring, in fine clothing, and there come in also a poor man in vile clothing;
[3] and ye have regard to him that weareth the fine clothing, and say, Sit thou here in a good place; and ye say to the poor man, Stand thou there, or sit under my footstool;
[4] are ye not divided in your own mind, and become judges with evil thoughts?
[5] Hearken, my beloved brethren; did not God choose them that are poor as to the world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to them that love him?
[6] But ye have dishonoured the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you, and themselves drag you before the judgment-seats?
[7] Do not they blaspheme the honourable name by the which ye are called?
[8] Howbeit if ye fulfill the royal law, according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:
[9] but if ye have respect of persons, ye commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors.
[10] For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is become guilty of all.
[11] For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou dost not commit adultery, but killest, thou art become a transgressor of the law.
[12] So speak ye, and so do, as men that are to be judged by a law of liberty.
[13] For judgment is without mercy to him that hath shewed no mercy: mercy glorieth against judgment.
[14] What doth it profit, my brethren, if a man say he hath faith, but have not works? can that faith save him?
[15] If a brother or sister be naked, and in lack of daily food,
[16] and one of you say unto them, Go in peace, be ye warmed and filled; and yet ye give them not the things needful to the body; what doth it profit?
[17] Even so faith, if it have not works, is dead in itself.
[18] Yea, a man will say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith apart from thy works, and I by my works will shew thee my faith.
[19] Thou believest that God is one; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and shudder.
[20] But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith apart from works is barren?
[21] Was not Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son upon the altar?
[22] Thou seest that faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect;
[23] and the scripture was fulfilled which saith, And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness; and he was called the friend of God.
[24] Ye see that by works a man is justified, and not only by faith.
[25] And in like manner was not also Rahab the harlot justified by works, in that she received the messengers, and sent them out another way?
[26] For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, even so faith apart from works is dead.