James 1:17-2:18

English Standard Version

¹⁷^(A)Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from ^(B)the Father of lights, ^(C)with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.^[a] ¹⁸^(D)Of his own will he ^(E)brought us forth by the word of truth, ^(F)that we should be a kind of ^(G)firstfruits of his creatures.

Hearing and Doing the Word

¹⁹^(H)Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person ^(I)be quick to hear, ^(J)slow to speak, ^(K)slow to anger; ²⁰for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. ²¹Therefore ^(L)put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with ^(M)meekness the implanted word, ^(N)which is able to save your souls.

²²But be ^(O)doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. ²³For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. ²⁴For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. ²⁵But the one who looks into the perfect law, ^(P)the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, ^(Q)he will be blessed in his doing.

²⁶If anyone thinks he is religious ^(R)and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's ^(S)religion is worthless. ²⁷Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: ^(T)to visit ^(U)orphans and widows in their affliction, and ^(V)to keep oneself ^(W)unstained from the world.

The Sin of Partiality

2 My brothers,^[b] ^(X)show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, ^(Y)the Lord of glory. ²For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, ³and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” ^(Z)while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” ⁴have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become ^(AA)judges with evil thoughts? ⁵Listen, my beloved brothers, ^(AB)has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be ^(AC)rich in faith and heirs of ^(AD)the kingdom, ^(AE)which he has promised to those who love him? ⁶But you ^(AF)have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who ^(AG)drag you ^(AH)into court? ⁷Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable ^(AI)name by which you were called?

⁸If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, ^(AJ)“You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. ⁹But if you ^(AK)show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. ¹⁰For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point ^(AL)has become guilty of all of it. ¹¹For he who said, ^(AM)“Do not commit adultery,” also said, ^(AN)“Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. ¹²So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under ^(AO)the law of liberty. ¹³For ^(AP)judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

Faith Without Works Is Dead

¹⁴What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith ^(AQ)but does not have works? Can that faith save him? ¹⁵^(AR)If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, ¹⁶^(AS)and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good^[c] is that? ¹⁷So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

¹⁸But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith ^(AT)apart from your works, and I will show you my faith ^(AU)by my works.