2My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into various trials; 3knowing that the proof of your faith produceth patience. 4But let patience have its work perfected, that ye may be perfect and complete, deficient in nothing. 5But if any man of you be deficient in wisdom, let him ask it of God, who giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not and it shall be given him. 6But let him ask in faith, harbouring no doubt: for he who is doubtful is like a wave of the sea, driven by the wind, and in constant agitation. 7For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing from the Lord. 8A double-minded man is unsteady in all his ways.
9Let the brother low in station rejoice in his elevation: 10but the rich, in his abasement: for as the flower of grass he shall pass away. 11For the sun arose with fervour, and burnt up the grass, and the flower of it fell off, and the beauty of its appearance was lost: just so the rich man in his course of life shall wither away. 12Blessed is the man who patiently supports temptation: for when he is proved, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to those who love him. 13Let no man under temptation say, I am tempted of God: for God is incapable of temptation from evils, and he tempteth no man: 14but every person is tempted, when by his own peculiar passion he is born away, and ensnared. 15Then passion impregnated, bringeth forth sin, and sin reaching its consummation, bringeth forth death. 16Be not deceived, my beloved brethren.
17Every good gift, and every perfect gift, is from above, descending from the father of illuminations, with whom there is no variableness, nor shadow of change. 18Of his own choice he produced us by the word of truth, that we might be a sort of first fruit of his creatures.—19Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath. 20For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. 21Wherefore laying aside all vicious pollution, and the abundance of iniquity, receive with meekness the ingrafted word, which hath power to save your souls. 22But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves by false reasoning. 23For if any man be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like a man that looks at his natural face in a glass; 24for he beheld himself, and went away, and immediately forgot what sort of person he was. 25But he that looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and perseveres, this man not being a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, he shall be blessed in his practice.
26If any man thinks he is a religious character among you, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain. 27Pure religion and undefiled with God even the Father is this, To pay diligent attention to the orphans and widows in their affliction, and to preserve himself spotless from the world.
[CHAP. II.]
MY brethren, hold not the faith of our glorious Lord Jesus shewing a respect for persons. 2For if there come into your congregation a man with a gold ring, and in splendid apparel, and there come in also a poor man in a sordid garb; 3and ye fix your eyes upon him who bears the splendid robe, and say to him, Sit thou here in an honourable place; and ye say to the poor man, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: 4are you not thus partial among yourselves, and form your decision from bad reasonings? 5Hear me, my beloved brethren. Hath not God elected the poor of this world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which God hath promised to those who love him; 6but ye have put contempt on the poor man? Do not the rich men tyrannize over you? and they drag you to the tribunals. 7Do they not blaspheme that honourable name by which ye are called? 8If indeed ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: 9but if ye have respect of persons, ye commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10For whosoever shall keep the whole law, but offendeth in a single particular, he is chargeable with the breach of all. 11For he that said, Thou shalt not commit adultery, said also, Thou shalt not commit murder. Now if thou dost not commit adultery, yet dost commit murder, thou art a transgressor of the law.
12So speak, and so act, as those who shall be judged by the law of liberty. 13For judgment without mercy shall be on him who shewed no mercy, and mercy glorieth against judgment.
14What is the advantage, my brethren, if a man profess to have faith, but hath not works; can faith save him? 15Now if a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, 16and should one of you say to them, Go in peace, be warm, be replenished with food: yet if ye give them not the necessaries for their body; what doth it avail? 17So also faith, if it hath not works, is dead itself.
18Perhaps a man will say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith by thy works, and I will shew thee by my works my faith. 19Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe and tremble. 20But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? 21Was not our father Abraham justified by works, when he offered up Isaac his son upon the altar? 22Thou seest that faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith consummated. 23And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, “Abraham believed God, and it was imputed to him for righteousness[145];” and he was called “the friend of God[146].” 24Observe therefore that by works a man is justified, and not by faith merely. 25But was not Rahab the harlot in like manner justified by works, when she entertained the messengers, and sent them away by a different road? 26For as the body without breath is dead, so faith without works is dead also.