James 1:26-2:16

Legacy Standard Bible

²⁶ If anyone thinks himself to be religious while not ^[a](A)bridling his tongue but deceiving his own heart, this man’s religion is worthless. ²⁷ Pure and undefiled religion ^(B)before our God and Father is this: to ^(C)visit ^(D)orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained ^[b]by ^(E)the world.

The Sin of Favoritism

2 ^(F)My brothers, ^(G)do not hold your faith in our ^[c](H)glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of ^(I)personal favoritism. ² For if a man comes into your ^[d]assembly with a gold ring and dressed in ^(J)bright clothes, and there also comes in a poor man in ^(K)dirty clothes, ³ and you ^[e]pay special attention to the one who is wearing the ^(L)bright clothes, and say, “You sit here in a good place,” and you say to the poor man, “You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool,” ⁴ have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges ^(M)with evil thoughts? ⁵ Listen, ^(N)my beloved brothers: did not ^(O)God choose the poor ^[f]of this world to be ^(P)rich in faith and ^(Q)heirs of the kingdom which He ^(R)promised to those who love Him? ⁶ But you have dishonored the poor man. Is it not the rich who oppress you and they themselves ^(S)drag you into ^[g]court? ^7 (T)Do they not blaspheme the good name ^[h]by which you have been called?

⁸ If, however, you ^(U)are fulfilling the ^[i]royal law according to the Scripture, “^(V)You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. ⁹ But if you ^(W)show partiality, you are committing sin, being convicted by the ^[j]law as transgressors. ¹⁰ For whoever keeps the whole ^[k]law and yet ^(X)stumbles in one point, he has become ^(Y)guilty of all. ¹¹ For He who said, “^(Z)Do not commit adultery,” also said, “^(AA)Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but murder, you have become a transgressor of the ^[l]law. ¹² So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by ^(AB)the law of freedom. ¹³ For ^(AC)judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy ^[m]triumphs over judgment.

Faith and Works

^14 (AD)What use is it, ^(AE)my brothers, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can ^[n]that faith save him? ^15 (AF)If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, ¹⁶ and one of you says to them, “^(AG)Go in peace, ^[o]be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that?