²⁶ As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.^(A)

True and False Disciples

²¹ “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’^(A) will enter the kingdom of heaven,^(B) but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.^{(C) 22} Many will say to me on that day,^(D) ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’^{(E) 23} Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’^(F)

³⁹ He also told them this parable: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into a pit?^(A)

¹³ Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles^(A) he saw.

¹⁴ When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria^(B) had accepted the word of God,^(C) they sent Peter and John^(D) to Samaria. ¹⁵ When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit,^{(E) 16} because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them;^(F) they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.^{(G) 17} Then Peter and John placed their hands on them,^(H) and they received the Holy Spirit.^(I)

¹⁸ When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money ¹⁹ and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”

²⁰ Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money!^{(J) 21} You have no part or share^(K) in this ministry, because your heart is not right^(L) before God. ²² Repent^(M) of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. ²³ For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.”

² By this gospel you are saved,^(A) if you hold firmly^(B) to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.

Life by the Spirit

¹³ You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free.^(A) But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh^[a];^(B) rather, serve one another^(C) humbly in love.

¹⁵ To the pure, all things are pure,^(A) but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure.^(B) In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted.^{(C) 16} They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him.^(D) They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.^(E)

Faith and Deeds

¹⁴ What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds?^(A) Can such faith save them?

¹⁷ In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.^(A)

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

Show me your faith without deeds,^(B) and I will show you my faith^(C) by my deeds.^{(D) 19} You believe that there is one God.^(E) Good! Even the demons believe that^(F)—and shudder.

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