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¹ My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ of glory, with respect of persons.² 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:³ And you have respect to him that is clothed with the fine apparel and shall say to him: Sit thou here well: but say to the poor man: Stand thou there, or: Sit under my footstool:⁴ Do you not judge within yourselves, and are become judges of unjust thoughts?⁵ Hearken, my dearest brethren: Hath not God chosen the poor in this world, rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which God hath promised to them that love him?⁶ But you have dishonoured the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you by might? And do not they draw you before the judgment seats?⁷ Do not they blaspheme the good name that is invoked upon you?

⁸ If then you fulfil the royal law, according to the scriptures: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself; you do well.⁹ But if you have respect to persons, you commit sin, being reproved by the law as transgressors.¹⁰ And whosoever shall keep the whole law, but offend in one point, is become guilty of all.¹¹ For he that said: Thou shalt not commit adultery, said also: Thou shalt not kill. Now if thou do not commit adultery, but shalt kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.¹² So speak ye and so do, as being to be judged by the law of liberty.¹³ For judgment without mercy to him that hath not done mercy. And mercy exalteth itself above judgment.

¹⁴ What shall it profit, my brethren, if a man say he hath faith, but hath not works? Shall faith be able to save him?¹⁵ And if a brother or sister be naked and want daily food:¹⁶ And one of you say to them: Go in peace, be ye warmed and filled; yet give them not those things that are necessary for the body, what shall it profit?¹⁷ So faith also, if it have not works, is dead in itself.¹⁸ But some man will say: Thou hast faith, and I have works. Shew me thy faith without works; and I will shew thee, by works, my faith.¹⁹ Thou believest that there is one God. Thou dost 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, offering up Isaac his son upon the altar?²² Seest thou that faith did cooperate with his works and by works faith was made perfect?²³ 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.²⁴ Do you see that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only?²⁵ And in like manner also Rahab the harlot, was not she justified by works, receiving the messengers and sending them out another way?²⁶ For even as the body without the spirit is dead: so also faith without works is dead.