The Sin of Favoritism

2 My * brothers, do not show favoritism as you hold on to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. j 2 For example, a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and a poor man dressed in dirty clothes also comes in. 3 If you look with favor on the man wearing the fine clothes and say, “Sit here in a good place,” and yet you say to the poor man, “Stand over there,” or, “Sit here on the floor by my footstool,” 4 haven’t you discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

5 Listen, my dear brothers: Didn’t God choose the poor in this world k to be rich in faith l and heirs m of the kingdom that He has promised to those who love Him? 6 Yet you dishonored that poor man. n Don’t the rich oppress you and drag o you into the courts? 7 Don’t they blaspheme the noble name that was pronounced over you at your baptism? p

8 Indeed, if you keep the royal law prescribed in the Scripture, Love your neighbor as yourself, q r you are doing well. 9 But if you show favoritism, s you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever keeps the entire law, yet fails in one point, is * guilty of breaking it all. t 11 For He who said, Do not commit adultery, u also said, Do not murder. v w So if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you are a lawbreaker.

12 Speak and act as those who will be judged by the law of freedom. x 13 For judgment is without mercy to the one who hasn’t shown mercy. y Mercy triumphs over judgment.