Don't take sides
My brothers, don't hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, while playing favourites. Suppose a man comes into your meeting with a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man comes in wearing rags. And you take notice of the one in the good clothes and say, Sit here, this is a good spot — and you say to the poor man, You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool. Haven't you made a distinction among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my dear brothers. Hasn't God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom he promised to those who love him? But you have treated the poor man as nothing. Isn't it the rich who push you around and drag you into court? Aren't they the ones who blaspheme the worthy name you are called by? If you really keep the royal law from the scripture, Love your neighbour as yourself, you are doing well. But if you play favourites, you are committing sin, and the law shows you up as a lawbreaker. Because whoever keeps the whole law and trips up on one point is guilty of the lot. The one who said, Don't commit adultery, also said, Don't murder. So if you don't commit adultery but you do murder, you have become a lawbreaker. So speak and act as people who are going to be judged by the law of liberty. Because judgement without mercy is coming to anyone who has shown no mercy. Mercy wins out over judgement.
My brothers, don't have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with taking sides. Because if there comes into your gathering a man with a gold ring in fine clothing, and there comes in a poor man in dirty clothing too, and you notice the one wearing the fine clothing and say to him: You sit here in a good place — and say to the poor: You stand there, or sit here under my footstool — aren't you then partial in yourselves and have turned into judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my beloved brothers. Hasn't God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom he's promised to the ones who love him? But you've looked down on the poor. Don't rich men press hard on you and drag you before the judgment seats? Don't they speak evil of that worthy name you're called by? If you carry out the royal teaching according to the scripture — You'll love your neighbour as yourself — you do well. But if you take sides, you sin and are shown up by the teaching as ones who break it. Because whoever keeps the whole teaching and yet offends in one point is guilty of all. Because the one who said: Don't break your marriage — said too: Don't kill. Now if you don't break your marriage but kill, you've turned into one who breaks the teaching. So speak and so do, as ones who'll be judged by the teaching of liberty. Because he'll have judgment without mercy who's shown no mercy. And mercy wins over judgment.
My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts? Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats? Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called? If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.
My brothers, don't hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, while playing favourites.
My brothers, don't have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with taking sides.
My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.
Suppose a man comes into your meeting with a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man comes in wearing rags.
Because if there comes into your gathering a man with a gold ring in fine clothing, and there comes in a poor man in dirty clothing too,
For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;
And you take notice of the one in the good clothes and say, Sit here, this is a good spot — and you say to the poor man, You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool.
and you notice the one wearing the fine clothing and say to him: You sit here in a good place — and say to the poor: You stand there, or sit here under my footstool —
And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:
Haven't you made a distinction among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
aren't you then partial in yourselves and have turned into judges with evil thoughts?
Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?
Listen, my dear brothers. Hasn't God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom he promised to those who love him?
Listen, my beloved brothers. Hasn't God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom he's promised to the ones who love him?
Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?
But you have treated the poor man as nothing. Isn't it the rich who push you around and drag you into court?
But you've looked down on the poor. Don't rich men press hard on you and drag you before the judgment seats?
But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?
Aren't they the ones who blaspheme the worthy name you are called by?
Don't they speak evil of that worthy name you're called by?
Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?
If you really keep the royal law from the scripture, Love your neighbour as yourself, you are doing well.
If you carry out the royal teaching according to the scripture — You'll love your neighbour as yourself — you do well.
If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:
But if you play favourites, you are committing sin, and the law shows you up as a lawbreaker.
But if you take sides, you sin and are shown up by the teaching as ones who break it.
But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
Because whoever keeps the whole law and trips up on one point is guilty of the lot.
Because whoever keeps the whole teaching and yet offends in one point is guilty of all.
For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
The one who said, Don't commit adultery, also said, Don't murder. So if you don't commit adultery but you do murder, you have become a lawbreaker.
Because the one who said: Don't break your marriage — said too: Don't kill. Now if you don't break your marriage but kill, you've turned into one who breaks the teaching.
For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.
So speak and act as people who are going to be judged by the law of liberty.
So speak and so do, as ones who'll be judged by the teaching of liberty.
So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.
Because judgement without mercy is coming to anyone who has shown no mercy. Mercy wins out over judgement.
Because he'll have judgment without mercy who's shown no mercy. And mercy wins over judgment.
For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.
Faith and works
What good is it, my brothers, if a man says he has faith but hasn't got the works to go with it? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister hasn't got clothes and hasn't got a feed for the day, and one of you says to them, Off you go, keep warm and eat well — but you don't give them what their body needs, what good is that? In the same way, faith by itself, without works, is dead. But someone will say, You have got faith and I have got works. Show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe there is one God. You do well. The demons believe that too — and they shudder. But do you want proof, you empty-headed man, that faith without works is dead? Wasn't Abraham our father justified by works when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was working along with his works, and by the works faith was brought to completion. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness — and he was called the friend of God. So you see that a man is justified by works, and not by faith alone. And wasn't Rahab the prostitute justified the same way by works, when she took the messengers in and sent them off by another road? Because as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead too.
What's the good, my brothers, though a man says he's got faith and hasn't got works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and short of daily food, and one of you says to them: Go in peace, be warmed and filled — but you don't give them the things needed for the body, what's the good? That's how faith too, if it hasn't got works, is dead, being alone. Yes, a man can say: You've got faith and I've got works. Show me your faith without your works, and I'll show you my faith by my works. You believe there's one God. You do well. The demons believe too, and shake. But will you know, empty man, that faith without works is dead? Wasn't Abraham our father made right by works, when he'd offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see how faith worked with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the scripture was carried out that says: Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness. And he was called the friend of God. You see then how by works a man is made right, and not by faith only. The same way too, wasn't Rahab the prostitute made right by works, when she'd taken in the messengers and sent them out another way? Because the way the body without the spirit is dead, that's how faith without works is dead too.
What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
What good is it, my brothers, if a man says he has faith but hasn't got the works to go with it? Can that faith save him?
What's the good, my brothers, though a man says he's got faith and hasn't got works? Can faith save him?
What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
If a brother or sister hasn't got clothes and hasn't got a feed for the day,
If a brother or sister is naked and short of daily food,
If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
and one of you says to them, Off you go, keep warm and eat well — but you don't give them what their body needs, what good is that?
and one of you says to them: Go in peace, be warmed and filled — but you don't give them the things needed for the body, what's the good?
And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
In the same way, faith by itself, without works, is dead.
That's how faith too, if it hasn't got works, is dead, being alone.
Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
But someone will say, You have got faith and I have got works. Show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
Yes, a man can say: You've got faith and I've got works. Show me your faith without your works, and I'll show you my faith by my works.
Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
You believe there is one God. You do well. The demons believe that too — and they shudder.
You believe there's one God. You do well. The demons believe too, and shake.
Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
But do you want proof, you empty-headed man, that faith without works is dead?
But will you know, empty man, that faith without works is dead?
But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
Wasn't Abraham our father justified by works when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?
Wasn't Abraham our father made right by works, when he'd offered Isaac his son on the altar?
Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
You see that faith was working along with his works, and by the works faith was brought to completion.
Do you see how faith worked with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?
Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
And the scripture was fulfilled that says, Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness — and he was called the friend of God.
And the scripture was carried out that says: Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness. And he was called the friend of God.
And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
So you see that a man is justified by works, and not by faith alone.
You see then how by works a man is made right, and not by faith only.
Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
And wasn't Rahab the prostitute justified the same way by works, when she took the messengers in and sent them off by another road?
The same way too, wasn't Rahab the prostitute made right by works, when she'd taken in the messengers and sent them out another way?
Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
Because as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead too.
Because the way the body without the spirit is dead, that's how faith without works is dead too.
For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.