| Brethren have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ the Lord of glory in respect of persons. If there come into your company a man with a golden ring and in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment, and ye have a respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him. Sit thou here in a good place: and say unto the poor, stand thou there or sit here under my footstool: are ye not partial in yourselves, and have judged after evil thoughts?
Hearken my dear beloved brethren. Hath not God chosen the poor of this world, which are rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to them that love him? But ye have despised the poor. Are not the rich they which oppress you, and they which draw you before judges? Do not they speak evil of that good name after which ye be named?
If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture which saith: Thou shalt love thine neighbour as thyself, ye do well. But if ye regard one person more than another, ye commit sin, and are rebuked of the law, as transgressors. Whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet fail in one point, he is guilty in all. For he that said. Thou shalt not commit **adultery, said also: thou shalt not kill. Though thou do none *adultery yet if thou kill, thou art a transgressor of the law. So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. For there shall be judgement merciless to him that showeth no mercy, and mercy rejoiceth against judgement.
What availeth it my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, when he hath no deeds? Can faith save him? If a brother or a sister be naked or destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them: Depart in peace, God send you warmness and food: not withstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body: what helpeth it them? Even so faith, if it have no deeds, is dead in itself.
Ye and a man might say: Thou hast faith, and I have deeds: Show me thy faith by thy deeds: and I will show thee my faith by my deeds. Believest thou that there is one God? Thou doest well. The devils also believe and tremble.
Wilt thou understand O thou vain man that faith without deeds is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified through works when he offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Thou seest how that faith wrought with his deeds, and through the deeds was the faith made perfect: and the scripture was fulfilled which saith: Abraham believed God, and it was reputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the friend of God. Ye see then how that of deeds a man is justified, and not of faith only. Likewise also was not Raab the harlot justified through works, when she received the messengers, and sent them out another way? For as the body, without the spirit is dead, even so faith without deeds is dead. |
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