Book of Common Prayer
Faith Without Works Is Dead
14 What is the profit, my brothers, if someone claims to have faith but does not have works[a]? The[b] faith is not able to save him, is it? 15 If brother or sister are naked and lacking daily food 16 and one of you says to them “Go in peace; be warmed and filled”, but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what is the profit[c]? 17 In this manner also faith, if it does not have works, is dead by[d] itself.
Faith Cannot Be Seen Apart From Works
18 But someone will say “You have faith, and I have works”. Show me your faith without[e] the works, and I will show you the faith by my works. 19 You believe that God is one[f]? You do well. Even the demons believe and shudder!
Faith Is Perfected By Works
20 But do you want to know[g], O empty[h] person, that faith without works is useless[i]? 21 Abraham our father— was he not declared-righteous by works[j], having offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you[k] see that faith was working-with his works, and the faith was perfected[l] by the works? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled, the one saying [in Gen 15:6] “And Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness”. And he was called a friend of God. 24 Do you[m] all see that a person is declared-righteous by works, and not by faith alone[n]? 25 And likewise also Rahab the prostitute— was she not declared-righteous by works, having received the messengers and sent-them-out by a different way? 26 For just as the body without spirit[o] is dead, so also faith without works is dead.
The Rich Man And Lazarus: What God Values Is What Matters
19 “Now there was a certain rich man. And he was dressing himself in purple and fine-linen, radiantly enjoying-himself daily. 20 And a certain poor man, Lazarus by name, had been put at his gate— having been covered-with-sores, 21 and desiring to be filled-to-satisfaction by the things falling from the table of the rich man. Even[a] indeed the dogs coming were licking his sores. 22 And it came about that the poor man died and he was carried-away by the angels to the bosom of Abraham. And the rich man also died and was buried. 23 And having lifted-up his eyes in Hades while being in torments, he sees Abraham from a-distance, and Lazarus in his bosom[b]. 24 And he, having called, said, ‘Father Abraham, have-mercy-on me and send Lazarus in order that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool-off my tongue, because I am suffering-pain in this flame’. 25 But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus the bad things. But now, here, he is being comforted and you are suffering-pain. 26 And in all these regions, a great chasm has been fixed[c] between us and you[d], so that the ones wanting to cross from here to you are not able, nor may they cross-over from there to us’. 27 And he said, ‘Then I ask you, father, that you send him to the house of my father— 28 for I have five brothers— so that he may solemnly-warn them in order that they also might not come to this place of torment’. 29 But Abraham says, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets. Let them listen-to them’. 30 But the one said, ‘No, father Abraham. But if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent’. 31 But he said to him, ‘If they do not listen-to Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone rises-up from the dead’”.
Disciples' Literal New Testament: Serving Modern Disciples by More Fully Reflecting the Writing Style of the Ancient Disciples, Copyright © 2011 Michael J. Magill. All Rights Reserved. Published by Reyma Publishing