James 2:19-3:2

English Standard Version

^19 (A)You believe that God is one; you do well. Even ^(B)the demons believe—and shudder! ²⁰ Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? ^21 (C)Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? ²² You see that ^(D)faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed ^(E)by his works; ²³ and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, ^(F)“Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a ^(G)friend of God. ²⁴ You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. ²⁵ And in the same way was not also ^(H)Rahab the prostitute justified by works ^(I)when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? ²⁶ For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

Taming the Tongue

3 ^(J)Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. ² For ^(K)we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, ^(L)he is a perfect man, ^(M)able also to bridle his whole body.