James 2

₁My brothers and sisters, as believers in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, you must never treat people in different ways according to their outward appearance. ₂Suppose a rich man wearing a gold ring and fine clothes comes to your meeting, and a poor man in ragged clothes also comes. ₃If you show more respect to the well-dressed man and say to him, “Have this best seat here,” but say to the poor man, “Stand over there, or sit here on the floor by my feet,” ₄then you are guilty of creating distinctions among yourselves and of making judgements based on evil motives.

₅Listen, my dear brothers and sisters! God chose the poor people of this world to be rich in faith and to possess the kingdom which he promised to those who love him. ₆But you dishonour the poor! Who are the ones who oppress you and drag you before the judges? The rich! ₇They are the ones who speak evil of that good name which has been given to you.

₈You will be doing the right thing if you obey the law of the Kingdom, which is found in the scripture, “Love your neighbour as you love yourself.” ₉But if you treat people according to their outward appearance, you are guilty of sin, and the Law condemns you as a lawbreaker. ₁₀Whoever breaks one commandment is guilty of breaking them all. ₁₁For the same one who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not commit murder.” Even if you do not commit adultery, you have become a lawbreaker if you commit murder. ₁₂Speak and act as people who will be judged by the law that sets us free. ₁₃For God will not show mercy when he judges the person who has not been merciful; but mercy triumphs over judgement.

₁₄My brothers and sisters, what good is it for people to say that they have faith if their actions do not prove it? Can that faith save them? ₁₅Suppose there are brothers or sisters who need clothes and don't have enough to eat. ₁₆What good is there in your saying to them, “God bless you! Keep warm and eat well!” — if you don't give them the necessities of life? ₁₇So it is with faith: if it is alone and includes no actions, then it is dead.

₁₈But someone will say, “One person has faith, another has actions.” My answer is, “Show me how anyone can have faith without actions. I will show you my faith by my actions.” ₁₉Do you believe that there is only one God? Good! The demons also believe — and tremble with fear. ₂₀You fool! Do you want to be shown that faith without actions is useless? ₂₁How was our ancestor Abraham put right with God? It was through his actions, when he offered his son Isaac on the altar. ₂₂Can't you see? His faith and his actions worked together; his faith was made perfect through his actions. ₂₃And the scripture came true that said, “Abraham believed God, and because of his faith God accepted him as righteous.” And so Abraham was called God's friend. ₂₄You see, then, that it is by people's actions that they are put right with God, and not by their faith alone.

₂₅It was the same with the prostitute Rahab. She was put right with God through her actions, by welcoming the Israelite spies and helping them to escape by a different road.

₂₆So then, as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without actions is dead.