1My dear brothers and sisters,*2:1 Greek brothers; also in 2:5, 14. how can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people over others?
2For example, suppose someone comes into your meeting*2:2 Greek your synagogue. dressed in fancy clothes and expensive jewelry, and another comes in who is poor and dressed in dirty clothes.
5Listen to me, dear brothers and sisters. Hasn’t God chosen the poor in this world to be rich in faith? Aren’t they the ones who will inherit the Kingdom he promised to those who love him?
8Yes indeed, it is good when you obey the royal law as found in the Scriptures: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”*2:8 Lev 19:18.
10For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God’s laws.
12So whatever you say or whatever you do, remember that you will be judged by the law that sets you free.
14What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone?
17So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.
18Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.”
19You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God.*2:19 Some manuscripts read that God is one; see Deut 6:4. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror.
21Don’t you remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?
25Rahab the prostitute is another example. She was shown to be right with God by her actions when she hid those messengers and sent them safely away by a different road.