¹³ For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey^(A) the law who will be declared righteous.

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)

⁷ 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)

²¹ Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?^{(A) 22} You see that his faith and his actions were working together,^(B) and his faith was made complete by what he did.^{(C) 23} And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,”^[a](D) and he was called God’s friend.^{(E) 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?^(F)

²⁵ Circumcision has value if you observe the law,^(A) but if you break the law, you have become as though you had not been circumcised.^(B)

¹⁶ know that a person is not justified by the works of the law,^(A) but by faith in Jesus Christ.^(B) So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in^[a] Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.^(C)

⁵ Moses writes this about the righteousness that is by the law: “The person who does these things will live by them.”^[a](A)

²¹ He replied, “My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.”^(A)

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