2 My brothers and sisters, do not show any favoritism as you hold the faith of our lord Jesus Messiah[1448] of glory.  2 Suppose a well-dressed person wearing fine jewelry comes into your gathering, and a shabbily-dressed person also comes in.  3 If you show special attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, “Take the seat of honor,” but to the poor person you say, “Stand over there or sit on the floor,”  4 have you not made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with wrong standards?  5 Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters: Did not God choose the world’s poor to be rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom[1449] which He promised to those who love Him?  6 But you have insulted the poor person. Is it not the rich who oppress you, who drag you into court? 7 Are they not the ones who besmirch the honorable name to whom you belong?
    8 You will do well to fulfill the royal law of Scripture: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”  9 But you sin if you show favoritism, and you are convicted by the law as sinners.  10 For someone who keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of it all.  11 For the One who said, “Do not commit adultery” also said, “Do not murder.” So if you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a law breaker.  12 So speak and act as those to be judged by the law of freedom.  13 For judgment will be without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
    14 What is the use, my brothers and sisters, if you claim to have faith but you do not have works? Can that faith save you?  15 If a brother or sister is without clothing and lacks daily food,  16 and one of you just says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and eat enough food,” but you do not meet their physical needs, what good is that?  17 So faith, if it has no works, is dead by itself.
    18 But someone might say, “One person has faith, and another has works.” I say: Show me your faith without works, and I will show you my faith from my works.  19 You believe that God is one Person;[1450] that is right! Even the demons believe that and tremble. 20 But do you not see, you foolish person, that faith without works is useless?  21 Was not Abraham our father made right by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 You see that faith was acting together with his works,[1451] and by works his faith was perfected.  23 The Scripture was fulfilled: “Abraham believed God, and this was credited to him as making him right,” and he was called “God’s friend.”  24 You see then that by works a person is made right, and not by faith alone. 25 In the same way, was not Rahab the prostitute also made right by works when she welcomed the messengers and sent them out by a different route?  26 For just as the body without spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead.