2:1 My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism.
2:2 Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old 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 and sisters: 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 dishonored 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 blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong?
2:8 If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,”* you are doing right. / *Lev. 19:18
2:9 But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.
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, “You shall not commit adultery,”* also said, “You shall not murder.”** If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker. / *Exodus 20:14; Deut. 5:18 / **Exodus 20:13; Deut. 5:17
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 and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?
2:15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food.
2:16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their 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 my deeds.
2:19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that - and shudder.
2:20 You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless*? / *Some early manuscripts dead
2:21 Was not our father 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,”* and he was called God’s friend. / *Gen. 15:6
2:24 You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do 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.