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1My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ shouldn’t treat some people better than others.
2Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and suppose a poor man in dirty old clothes also comes in.
3Would you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes? Would you tell him, “Here’s a good seat for you”? But would you say to the poor man, “You can stand over there,” or, “Sit on the floor by my feet”?
4If you would, aren’t you treating some people better than others? Aren’t you like judges who have evil thoughts?
5My dear brothers and sisters, listen to me. Hasn’t God chosen those who are poor in the world’s eyes to be rich in faith? Hasn’t he chosen them to receive the kingdom that he promised to give to those who love him?
6But you haven’t treated poor people with respect. Isn’t it the rich who take advantage of you? Aren’t they the ones who drag you into court?
7Aren’t they the ones who say insulting things about the worthy name of Jesus? Remember, you belong to him.
8If you really keep the royal law that’s found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as you love yourself,” you’ll be doing what’s right.
9But if you treat some people better than others, that’s a sin, and the law will find you guilty as a law-breaker.
10If you keep all the rest of the law but break one part of it, you’re guilty of breaking all of it.
11The same one who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not commit murder.” If you don’t commit adultery but you do commit murder, then you’ve broken the law.
12Speak and act like people who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom,
13because anyone who hasn’t been merciful won’t receive mercy when they’re judged. But mercy wins out over judgment.
14My brothers and sisters, if a person claims to have faith but never acts on it, what good is that? Can that kind of faith save them?
15Suppose a brother or a sister lacks clothes or food.
16If one of you says to them, “I hope everything works out for you; stay warm and eat well,” but you don’t provide any practical help, what good is that?
17It’s the same with faith. If it doesn’t lead us to take action, it’s dead.
18But someone will say, “You have faith; I take action.”
If you do have faith, the only way to show it is by the action it produces. But when I take action, that will show you the faith I have.
19Do you have faith that there’s one God? Good for you! Even the demons believe that, and they tremble!
20You foolish person, do you want proof that faith that doesn’t take action is useless?
21When our father Abraham offered his son Isaac on the altar, wasn’t he considered to be right with God because he took action?
22So you see that what he believed and the action he took were working together. His action made his faith complete.
23And the Scripture came true that says, “Abraham believed God, and this was considered to make him right with God.” God even called Abraham his friend.
24So you see that a person is considered right with God because of the action they take, not just because they believe.
25In the same way, even Rahab the prostitute was considered to be right with God because of what she did for the spies. She gave them a place to stay and then sent them off safely in a different direction.
26Just as a person’s body is dead without their spirit, so faith that doesn’t lead a person to act is dead.