James 2:8-26

8If, however, you 1are fulfilling the 2royal law according to the Scripture, “3You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. 9But if you 4show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the Law as violators. 10For whoever keeps the whole Law, yet 5stumbles in one point, has become 6guilty of all. 11For He who said, “7Do not commit adultery,” also said, “8Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but do murder, you have become a violator of the Law. 12So speak, and so act, as those who are to be judged by 9the law of freedom. 13For 10judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy 11triumphs over judgment.

1412What use is it, 13my brothers and sisters, if someone says he has faith, but he has no works? Can 14that faith save him? 1515If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, 16and one of you says to them, “16Go in peace, 17be warmed and be filled,” yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? 17In the same way, 18faith also, if it has no works, is 19dead, being by itself.

1820But someone 21may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your 22faith without the works, and I will 23show you my faith 24by my works.” 19You believe that 2526God is one. 27You do well; 28the demons also believe, and shudder. 20But are you willing to acknowledge, 29you foolish person, that 30faith without works is useless? 2131Was our father Abraham not justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22You see that 32faith was working with his works, and 33as a result of the 34works, faith was 35perfected; 23and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “36And Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called a 37friend of God. 24You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25In the same way, was 38Rahab the prostitute not justified by works also 39when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also 40faith without works is dead.