|
|
|
|
1. My dear brothers and sisters, you are believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. So don't treat some people better than others.
|
1. My G3450 brethren G80 , have G2192 not G3361 the G3588 faith G4102 of our G2257 Lord G2962 Jesus G2424 Christ G5547 , the Lord of glory G1391 , with G1722 respect of persons G4382 .
|
|
2. Suppose someone comes into your meeting wearing very nice clothes and a gold ring. At the same time a poor person comes in wearing old, dirty clothes.
|
2. For G1063 if G1437 there come G1525 unto G1519 your G5216 assembly G4864 a man G435 with a gold ring G5554 , in G1722 goodly G2986 apparel G2066 , and G1161 there come in G1525 also G2532 a poor man G4434 in G1722 vile G4508 raiment G2066 ;
|
|
3. You show special attention to the person wearing nice clothes. You say, "Sit here in this good seat." But you say to the poor person, "Stand there!" or "Sit on the floor by our feet!"
|
3. And G2532 ye have respect G1914 to G1909 him that weareth G5409 the G3588 gay G2986 clothing G2066 , and G2532 say G2036 unto him G846 , Sit G2521 thou G4771 here G5602 in a good place G2573 ; and G2532 say G2036 to the G3588 poor G4434 , Stand G2476 thou G4771 there G1563 , or G2228 sit G2521 here G5602 under G5259 my G3450 footstool G5286 :
|
|
4. Doesn't this show that you think some people are more important than others? You set yourselves up as judges�judges who make bad decisions.
|
4. Are ye not then partial G1252 G3756 G2532 in G1722 yourselves G1438 , and G2532 are become G1096 judges G2923 of evil G4190 thoughts G1261 ?
|
|
5. Listen, my dear brothers and sisters. God chose the poor people in the world to be rich in faith. He chose them to receive the kingdom God promised to those who love him.
|
5. Hearken G191 , my G3450 beloved G27 brethren G80 , Hath not G3756 God G2316 chosen G1586 the G3588 poor G4434 of this G5127 world G2889 rich G4145 in G1722 faith G4102 , and G2532 heirs G2818 of the G3588 kingdom G932 which G3739 he hath promised G1861 to them that love G25 him G846 ?
|
|
6. But you show no respect to those who are poor. And you know that the rich are the ones who always try to control your lives. And they are the ones who take you to court.
|
6. But G1161 ye G5210 have despised G818 the G3588 poor G4434 . Do not G3756 rich men G4145 oppress G2616 you G5216 , and G2532 draw G1670 you G5209 before G1519 the judgment seats G2922 ?
|
|
7. And the rich are the ones who insult the wonderful name of Christ, the name by which you are known.
|
7. Do not G3756 they G846 blaspheme G987 that worthy G2570 name G3686 by the which G3588 G1909 ye G5209 are called G1941 ?
|
|
8. One law rules over all other laws. This royal law is found in the Scriptures: "Love your neighbor the same as you love yourself." If you obey this law, you are doing right.
|
8. If G1487 ye G3305 fulfill G5055 the royal G937 law G3551 according G2596 to the G3588 Scripture G1124 , Thou shalt love G25 thy G4675 neighbor G4139 as G5613 thyself G4572 , ye do G4160 well G2573 :
|
|
9. But if you are treating one person as more important than another, you are sinning. You are guilty of breaking God's law.
|
9. But G1161 if G1487 ye have respect to persons G4380 , ye commit G2038 sin G266 , and are convinced G1651 of G5259 the G3588 law G3551 as G5613 transgressors G3848 .
|
|
10. You might follow all of God's law. But if you fail to obey only one command, you are guilty of breaking all the commands in that law.
|
10. For G1063 whosoever G3748 shall keep G5083 the G3588 whole G3650 law G3551 , and G1161 yet offend G4417 in G1722 one G1520 point, he is G1096 guilty G1777 of all G3956 .
|
|
11. God said, "Don't commit adultery. " The same God also said, "Don't kill." So if you don't commit adultery, but you kill someone, you are guilty of breaking all of God's law.
|
11. For G1063 he that said G2036 , Do not G3361 commit adultery G3431 , said G2036 also G2532 , Do not G3361 kill G5407 . Now G1161 if G1487 thou commit no adultery G3431 G3756 , yet G1161 if thou kill G5407 , thou art become G1096 a transgressor G3848 of the law G3551 .
|
|
12. You will be judged by the law that makes people free. You should remember this in everything you say and do.
|
12. So G3779 speak G2980 ye, and G2532 so G3779 do G4160 , as G5613 they that shall be G3195 judged G2919 by G1223 the law G3551 of liberty G1657 .
|
|
13. Yes, you must show mercy to others. If you do not show mercy, then God will not show mercy to you when he judges you. But the one who shows mercy can stand without fear before the Judge.
|
13. For G1063 he shall have judgment G2920 without mercy G448 , that hath showed G4160 no G3361 mercy G1656 ; and G2532 mercy G1656 rejoiceth against G2620 judgment G2920 .
|
|
14. My brothers and sisters, if someone says they have faith but do nothing, that faith is worth nothing. Faith like that cannot save anyone.
|
14. What G5101 doth it profit G3786 , my G3450 brethren G80 , though G1437 a man G5100 say G3004 he hath G2192 faith G4102 , and G1161 have G2192 not G3361 works G2041 G3361 ? can G1410 faith G4102 save G4982 him G846 ?
|
|
15. Suppose a brother or sister in Christ comes to you in need of clothes or something to eat.
|
15. G1161 If G1437 a brother G80 or G2228 sister G79 be G5225 naked G1131 , and G2532 destitute G5600 G3007 of daily G2184 food G5160 ,
|
|
16. And you say to them, "God be with you! I hope you stay warm and get plenty to eat," but you don't give them the things they need. If you don't help them, your words are worthless.
|
16. And G1161 one G5100 of G1537 you G5216 say G2036 unto them G846 , Depart G5217 in G1722 peace G1515 , be ye warmed G2328 and G2532 filled G5526 ; notwithstanding G1161 ye give G1325 them G846 not G3361 those things which are needful G2006 to the G3588 body G4983 ; what G5101 doth it profit G3786 ?
|
|
17. It is the same with faith. If it is just faith and nothing more�if it doesn't do anything�it is dead.
|
17. Even G2532 so G3779 faith G4102 , if G1437 it hath G2192 not G3361 works G2041 , is G2076 dead G3498 , being alone G2596 G1438 .
|
|
18. But someone might argue, "Some people have faith, and others have good works." My answer would be that you can't show me your faith if you don't do anything. But I will show you my faith by the good I do.
|
18. Yea G235 , a man G5100 may say G2046 , Thou G4771 hast G2192 faith G4102 , and I G2504 have G2192 works G2041 : show G1166 me G3427 thy G4675 faith G4102 without G5565 thy G4675 works G2041 , and I G2504 will show G1166 thee G4671 my G3450 faith G4102 by G1537 my G3450 works G2041 .
|
|
19. You believe there is one God. That's good, but even the demons believe that! And they shake with fear.
|
19. Thou G4771 believest G4100 that G3754 there is G2076 one G1520 God G2316 ; thou doest G4160 well G2573 : the G3588 devils G1140 also G2532 believe G4100 , and G2532 tremble G5425 .
|
|
20. You fool! Faith that does nothing is worth nothing. Do you want me to prove this to you?
|
20. But G1161 wilt G2309 thou know G1097 , O G5599 vain G2756 man G444 , that G3754 faith G4102 without G5565 works G2041 is G2076 dead G3498 ?
|
|
21. Our father Abraham was made right with God by what he did. He offered his son Isaac to God on the altar.
|
21. Was not G3756 Abraham G11 our G2257 father G3962 justified G1344 by G1537 works G2041 , when he had offered G399 Isaac G2464 his G848 son G5207 upon G1909 the G3588 altar G2379 ?
|
|
22. So you see that Abraham's faith and what he did worked together. His faith was made perfect by what he did.
|
22. Seest G991 thou how G3754 faith G4102 wrought with G4903 his G846 works G2041 , and G2532 by G1537 works G2041 was faith G4102 made perfect G5048 ?
|
|
23. This shows the full meaning of the Scriptures that say, "Abraham believed God, and because of this faith he was accepted as one who is right with God." Abraham was called "God's friend."
|
23. And G2532 the G3588 Scripture G1124 was fulfilled G4137 which saith G3004 G1161 , Abraham G11 believed G4100 God G2316 , and G2532 it was imputed G3049 unto him G846 for G1519 righteousness G1343 : and G2532 he was called G2564 the Friend G5384 of God G2316 .
|
|
24. So you see that people are made right with God by what they do. They cannot be made right by faith alone.
|
24. Ye see G3708 then G5106 how G3754 that by G1537 works G2041 a man G444 is justified G1344 , and G2532 not G3756 by G1537 faith G4102 only G3440 .
|
|
25. Another example is Rahab. She was a prostitute, but she was made right with God by something she did. She helped those who were spying for God's people. She welcomed them into her home and helped them escape by a different road.
|
25. Likewise G3668 also G2532 was not G3756 Rahab G4460 the G3588 harlot G4204 justified G1344 by G1537 works G2041 , when she had received G5264 the G3588 messengers G32 , and G2532 had sent them out G1544 another G2087 way G3598 ?
|
|
26. A person's body that does not have a spirit is dead. It is the same with faith� faith that does nothing is dead!
|
26. For G1063 as G5618 the G3588 body G4983 without G5565 the spirit G4151 is G2076 dead G3498 , so G3779 faith G4102 without G5565 works G2041 is G2076 dead G3498 also G2532 .
|