⁸ If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,”^[a](A) you are doing right. ⁹ But if you show favoritism,^(B) you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.^{(C) 10} For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles^(D) at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.^{(E) 11} For he who said, “You shall not commit adultery,”^[b](F) also said, “You shall not murder.”^[c](G) If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.

¹² Speak and act as those who are going to be judged^(H) by the law that gives freedom,^{(I) 13} because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful.^(J) Mercy triumphs over judgment.

Faith and Deeds

¹⁴ What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds?^(K) Can such faith save them? ¹⁵ Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food.^{(L) 16} If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?^{(M) 17} In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.^(N)

¹⁸ But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”

Show me your faith without deeds,^(O) and I will show you my faith^(P) by my deeds.^{(Q) 19} You believe that there is one God.^(R) Good! Even the demons believe that^(S)—and shudder.

²⁰ You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless^[d]?^(T)