James - Chapter 2

Passage

My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ of glory, with respect of persons. For if there shall come into your assembly a man having a golden ring, in fine apparel; and there shall come in also a poor man in mean attire: And you have respect to him that is clothed with the fine apparel and shall say to him: Sit here well: but say to the poor man: Stand there, or: Sit under my footstool: Do you not judge within yourselves, and are become judges of unjust thoughts? Hearken, my dearest brethren: Has not God chosen the poor in this world, rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which God has promised to them that love him? But you have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you by might? And do not they draw you before the judgment seats? Do not they blaspheme the good name that is invoked upon you? If then you fulfil the royal law, according to the scriptures: You shall love your neighbor as yourself; you do well. But if you have respect to persons, you commit sin, being reproved by the law as transgressors. And whoever shall keep the whole law, but offend in one point, is become guilty of all. For he that said: You shall not commit adultery, said also: You shall not kill. Now if you do not commit adultery, but shall kill, you are become a transgressor of the law. So speak you and so do, as being to be judged by the law of liberty. For judgment without mercy to him that has not done mercy. And mercy exalts itself above judgment. What shall it profit, my brethren, if a man say he has faith, but has not works? Shall faith be able to save him? And if a brother or sister be naked and want daily food: And one of you say to them: Go in peace, be you warmed and filled; yet give them not those things that are necessary for the body, what shall it profit? So faith also, if it has not works, is dead in itself. But some man will say: You have faith, and I have works. Show me your faith without works; and I will show you, by works, my faith. You believe that there is one God. You do well: the devils also believe and tremble. But will you know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, offering up Isaac his son upon the altar? Do you see that faith did cooperate with his works and by works faith was made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled, saying: Abraham believed God, and it was reputed to him to justice, and he was called the friend of God. Do you see that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only? And in like manner also Rahab the harlot, was not she justified by works, receiving the messengers and sending them out another way? For even as the body without the spirit is dead: so also faith without works is dead.