Romans 4:1-12
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The Example of Abraham
4 What then are we to say was gained by[a] Abraham, our ancestor according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God.(A) 3 For what does the scripture say? “Abraham believed[b] God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.”(B) 4 Now to one who works, wages are not reckoned as a gift but as something due.(C) 5 But to one who does not work but trusts him who justifies the ungodly, such faith is reckoned as righteousness. 6 So also David pronounces a blessing on those to whom God reckons righteousness apart from works:
7 “Blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven
and whose sins are covered;(D)
8 blessed is the one against whom the Lord will not reckon sin.”
9 Is this blessing, then, pronounced only on the circumcised or also on the uncircumcised? We say, “Faith was reckoned to Abraham as righteousness.” 10 How then was it reckoned to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after but before he was circumcised. 11 He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith[c] while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the ancestor of all who believe[d] without being circumcised and who thus have righteousness reckoned to them,(E) 12 and likewise the ancestor of the circumcised who are not only circumcised but follow the example of the faith that our ancestor Abraham had before he was circumcised.
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James 2:14-26
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Faith without Works Is Dead
14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? Surely that faith cannot save, can it?(A) 15 If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food(B) 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,” and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? 17 So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from works, and I by my works will show you faith.(C) 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder.(D) 20 Do you want to be shown, you senseless person, that faith apart from works is worthless?[a] 21 Was not our ancestor Abraham justified by works when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?(E) 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and by works faith was brought to completion.(F) 23 Thus the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,”[b] and he was called the friend of God.(G) 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 Likewise, was not Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she welcomed the messengers[c] and sent them out by another road?(H) 26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is also dead.
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