The Daily Audio Bible

¹⁹ Therefore my dear brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.

²⁰ For the wrath of man does not accomplish the righteousness of God.

²¹ Therefore, put aside all filthiness and abundance of wickedness. In humility, receive the word implanted in you which is able to save your souls.

²² And be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

²³ For if any hear the word, and does not do it, he is like a man who beholds his natural face in a mirror.

²⁴ For after he has looked at himself, he goes his way and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.

²⁵ But whoever looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues therein (not being a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work), he shall be blessed in his deed.

²⁶ If anyone among you seems religious but does not refrain his tongue and deceives his own heart, their religion is vain.

²⁷ Religion, pure and undefiled before God (even the Father) is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their adversity, and to keep oneself undefiled by the world.

2 My brothers, do not hold the faith of our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with favoritism.

² For if a man with a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly. And then, also, a poor man in rags comes in.

³ And you have respect for the one wearing the fine clothing, saying to him, “Sit here in a good place”. Yet you say to the poor, “Stand over there”, or “Sit here under my footstool”.

⁴ Are you not partial among yourselves, becoming judges of evil thoughts?

⁵ Listen, my beloved brothers. Has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?

⁶ But you have despised the poor. Do not the rich oppress you by tyranny? And do they not draw you before the judgment seats?

⁷ Do they not blaspheme the worthy Name after which you are named?

⁸ But if you fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself”, you do well.

⁹ But if you show favoritism, you commit sin and are rebuked by the Law as transgressors.

¹⁰ For whoever shall keep the whole Law, and yet fails in one point, he is guilty of all.

¹¹ For He Who said, “You shall not commit adultery”, also said, “You shall not kill”. Now, though you do no adultery, if you kill you are still a transgressor of the Law.

¹² So speak and so do as those who shall be judged by the Law of liberty.

¹³ For there shall be merciless condemnation for the one who does not show mercy. And mercy rejoices against condemnation.

¹⁴ What profit is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but has no works? Can faith save him?

¹⁵ For if a brother or a sister is naked and without daily food,

¹⁶ and one of you says to them, “Go in peace. Warm yourselves and fill your bellies”, what help is it if you don’t give them those things which the body needs?

¹⁷ Even so, faith - if it has no works - is dead by itself.