²³ You who boast in the law,^(A) do you dishonor God by breaking the law?

The Jews and the Law

¹⁷ Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and boast in God;^(A)

¹⁶ As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil.^{(A) 17} If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.^(B)

⁴ the people of Israel.^(A) Theirs is the adoption to sonship;^(B) theirs the divine glory,^(C) the covenants,^(D) the receiving of the law,^(E) the temple worship^(F) and the promises.^(G)

² Much in every way!^(A) First of all, the Jews have been entrusted with the very words of God.^(B)

⁴⁵ “But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses,^(A) on whom your hopes are set.^(B)

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)

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

²⁸ Then they hurled insults at him and said, “You are this fellow’s disciple! We are disciples of Moses!^{(A) 29} We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don’t even know where he comes from.”^(B)

¹¹ The Pharisee stood by himself^(A) and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector.