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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 into 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 to 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 they not blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?

⁸ If ye fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well:⁹ But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors.¹⁰ For whoever 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 committest no adultery, yet if thou killest, 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 shown no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.

¹⁴ What [doth it] profit, my brethren, though a man sayeth he hath faith, and hath not works? can faith save him?¹⁵ If a brother or sister is naked, and destitute of daily food,¹⁶ And one of you sayeth to them, Depart in peace, be you 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 Also a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works.¹⁹ Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the demons 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 to him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.²⁴ Ye see then 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.