The Wise and Foolish Builders^(A)

²⁴ “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice^(B) is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.

⁴⁷ As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice,^(A) I will show you what they are like. ⁴⁸ They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. ⁴⁹ But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”

¹⁷ Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.^(A)

¹⁰ By the grace God has given me,^(A) I laid a foundation^(B) as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. ¹¹ For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.^(C)

²⁸ He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God^(A) and obey it.”^(B)

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)

²² and receive from him anything we ask,^(A) because we keep his commands^(B) and do what pleases him.^{(C) 23} And this is his command: to believe^(D) in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ,^(E) and to love one another as he commanded us.^{(F) 24} The one who keeps God’s commands^(G) lives in him,^(H) and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.^(I)

²¹ Therefore, get rid of^(A) all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you,^(B) which can save you.

²² Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.^{(C) 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,^(D) and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.^(E)

²⁶ Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues^(F) deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. ²⁷ Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after^(G) orphans and widows^(H) in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.^(I)