James 1:21–2:13

Doers—Not Hearers Only

21 Therefore wlay aside all filthiness and 4overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, xwhich is able to save your souls.

22 But ybe doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For zif anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But ahe who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, bthis one will be blessed in what he does.

26 If anyone 5among you thinks he is religious, and cdoes not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless. 27 dPure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: eto visit orphans and widows in their trouble, fand to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

Beware of Personal Favoritism

2 My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, athe Lord of glory, with bpartiality. 2 For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in 1fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in 2filthy clothes, 3 and you 3pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, “You sit here in a good place,” and say to the poor man, “You stand there,” or, “Sit here at my footstool,” 4 have you not 4shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?

5 Listen, my beloved brethren: cHas God not chosen the poor of this world to be drich in faith and heirs of the kingdom ewhich He promised to those who love Him? 6 But fyou have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you gand drag you into the courts? 7 Do they not blaspheme that noble name by which you are hcalled?

8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, i“You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well; 9 but if you 5show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as jtransgressors. 10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet kstumble in one point, lhe is guilty of all. 11 For He who said, m“Do not commit adultery,” also said, n“Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12 So speak and so do as those who will be judged by othe law of liberty. 13 For pjudgment is without mercy to the one who has shown qno rmercy. sMercy triumphs over judgment.