Psalm 116

I love the Lord,(A) for he heard my voice;
    he heard my cry(B) for mercy.(C)
Because he turned his ear(D) to me,
    I will call on him as long as I live.

The cords of death(E) entangled me,
    the anguish of the grave came over me;
    I was overcome by distress and sorrow.
Then I called on the name(F) of the Lord:
    Lord, save me!(G)

The Lord is gracious and righteous;(H)
    our God is full of compassion.(I)
The Lord protects the unwary;
    when I was brought low,(J) he saved me.(K)

Return to your rest,(L) my soul,
    for the Lord has been good(M) to you.

For you, Lord, have delivered me(N) from death,
    my eyes from tears,
    my feet from stumbling,
that I may walk before the Lord(O)
    in the land of the living.(P)

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15 So she let them down by a rope(A) through the window,(B) for the house she lived in was part of the city wall. 16 She said to them, “Go to the hills(C) so the pursuers(D) will not find you. Hide yourselves there three days(E) until they return, and then go on your way.”(F)

17 Now the men had said to her, “This oath(G) you made us swear will not be binding on us 18 unless, when we enter the land, you have tied this scarlet cord(H) in the window(I) through which you let us down, and unless you have brought your father and mother, your brothers and all your family(J) into your house. 19 If any of them go outside your house into the street, their blood will be on their own heads;(K) we will not be responsible. As for those who are in the house with you, their blood will be on our head(L) if a hand is laid on them. 20 But if you tell what we are doing, we will be released from the oath you made us swear.(M)

21 “Agreed,” she replied. “Let it be as you say.”

So she sent them away, and they departed. And she tied the scarlet cord(N) in the window.(O)

22 When they left, they went into the hills and stayed there three days,(P) until the pursuers(Q) had searched all along the road and returned without finding them. 23 Then the two men started back. They went down out of the hills, forded the river and came to Joshua son of Nun and told him everything that had happened to them. 24 They said to Joshua, “The Lord has surely given the whole land into our hands;(R) all the people are melting in fear(S) because of us.”

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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) 21 Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?(H) 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together,(I) and his faith was made complete by what he did.(J) 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,”[b](K) and he was called God’s friend.(L) 24 You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.

25 In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?(M) 26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.(N)

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Footnotes

  1. James 2:20 Some early manuscripts dead
  2. James 2:23 Gen. 15:6

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