“Suppose there is a righteous man
    who does what is just and right.

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But if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right,

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14 And if I say to a wicked person, ‘You will surely die,’ but they then turn away from their sin and do what is just(A) and right—

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14 Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right;

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Dear children,(A) do not let anyone lead you astray.(B) The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous.(C)

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Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.

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This is how we know(A) that we love the children of God:(B) by loving God and carrying out his commands. In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands.(C) And his commands are not burdensome,(D) for everyone born of God(E) overcomes(F) the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.(G)

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By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.

For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

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29 If you know that he is righteous,(A) you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him.(B)

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29 If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.

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Love and Hatred for Fellow Believers

We know(A) that we have come to know him(B) if we keep his commands.(C)

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And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

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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? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food.(B) 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?(C) 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.(D)

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

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

20 You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless[a]?(J) 21 Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?(K) 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together,(L) and his faith was made complete by what he did.(M) 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,”[b](N) and he was called God’s friend.(O) 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?(P) 26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.(Q)

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Footnotes

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

14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?

15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,

16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?

17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?

22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?

23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?

26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

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22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.(A) 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom,(B) and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.(C)

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22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:

24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.

25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

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To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor(A) and immortality,(B) he will give eternal life.(C) But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil,(D) there will be wrath and anger.(E) There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil:(F) first for the Jew, then for the Gentile;(G) 10 but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.(H)

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To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:

But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,

Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;

10 But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:

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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)

The Wise and Foolish Builders(G)

24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice(H) is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

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21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:

27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

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To do what is right and just
    is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.(A)

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To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.

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The one who has clean hands(A) and a pure heart,(B)
    who does not trust in an idol(C)
    or swear by a false god.[a]

They will receive blessing(D) from the Lord
    and vindication(E) from God their Savior.
Such is the generation of those who seek him,
    who seek your face,(F) God of Jacob.[b][c]

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 24:4 Or swear falsely
  2. Psalm 24:6 Two Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac (see also Septuagint); most Hebrew manuscripts face, Jacob
  3. Psalm 24:6 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 10.

He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.

He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.

This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.

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The one whose walk is blameless,(A)
    who does what is righteous,
    who speaks the truth(B) from their heart;
whose tongue utters no slander,(C)
    who does no wrong to a neighbor,
    and casts no slur on others;
who despises a vile person
    but honors(D) those who fear the Lord;
who keeps an oath(E) even when it hurts,
    and does not change their mind;
who lends money to the poor without interest;(F)
    who does not accept a bribe(G) against the innocent.

Whoever does these things
    will never be shaken.(H)

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He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.

He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.

In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the Lord. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.

He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.

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