⁶ For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything; the only thing that counts is faith working^[a] through love.^(A)

¹⁵ For^[a] neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is anything, but a new creation is everything!^(A)

¹⁹ Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but obeying the commandments of God is everything.^(A)

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.

¹⁴ We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the brothers and sisters. Whoever does not love abides in death.^{(A) 15} All who hate a brother or sister are murderers, and you know that murderers do not have eternal life abiding in them.^{(B) 16} We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us—and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers and sisters.^{(C) 17} How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help?^(D)

¹⁸ Little children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth.^{(E) 19} And by this we will know that we are from the truth and will reassure our hearts before him^{(F) 20} whenever our hearts condemn us, for God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.