James 2:8-20

English Standard Version

⁸If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, ^(A)“You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. ⁹But if you ^(B)show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. ¹⁰For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point ^(C)has become guilty of all of it. ¹¹For he who said, ^(D)“Do not commit adultery,” also said, ^(E)“Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. ¹²So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under ^(F)the law of liberty. ¹³For ^(G)judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

Faith Without Works Is Dead

¹⁴What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith ^(H)but does not have works? Can that faith save him? ¹⁵^(I)If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, ¹⁶^(J)and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good^[a] is that? ¹⁷So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

¹⁸But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith ^(K)apart from your works, and I will show you my faith ^(L)by my works. ¹⁹^(M)You believe that God is one; you do well. Even ^(N)the demons believe—and shudder! ²⁰Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?