2:1 My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don’t show favouritism.
2:2 Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in.
2:3 If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, Here’s a good seat for you, but say to the poor man, You stand there or Sit on the floor by my feet,
2:4 have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
2:5 Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?
2:6 But you have insulted the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court?
2:7 Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom you belong?
2:8 If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, Love your neighbour as yourself, [Lev. 19:18] you are doing right.
2:9 But if you show favouritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as law-breakers.
2:10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.
2:11 For he who said, Do not commit adultery, [Exodus 20:14 Deut. 5:18] also said, Do not murder. [Exodus 20:13 Deut. 5:17] If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a law-breaker.
2:12 Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom,
2:13 because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!
2:14 What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?
2:15 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.
2:16 If one of you says to him, Go, I wish you well keep warm and well fed, but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?
2:17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
2:18 But someone will say, You have faith I have deeds. Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.
2:19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that and shudder.
2:20 You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? [Some early manuscripts dead]
2:21 Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?
2:22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.
2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness, [Gen. 15:6] and he was called God’s friend.
2:24 You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.
2:25 In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?
2:26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.