1 My|strong="G1722" dear brothers|strong="G0080" and|strong="G1391" sisters, you|strong="G1722" are|strong="G3588" believers in|strong="G1722" our|strong="G2424" glorious|strong="G1391" Lord|strong="G2962" Jesus|strong="G2424" Christ|strong="G5547". So|strong="G3361" don’t|strong="G3361" treat some|strong="G3588" people|strong="G3588" better than|strong="G3361" others|strong="G3588".
2 Suppose someone|strong="G0435" comes|strong="G1525" into|strong="G1519" your|strong="G1437" meeting wearing very|strong="G2532" nice clothes|strong="G2066" and|strong="G2532" a|strong="G1437" gold|strong="G5554" ring|strong="G5554". At|strong="G1722" the|strong="G2532" same|strong="G2532" time a|strong="G1437" poor|strong="G4434" person|strong="G0435" comes|strong="G1525" in|strong="G1722" wearing old, dirty|strong="G4508" clothes|strong="G2066".
3 You|strong="G4771" show special|strong="G1914" attention|strong="G1914" to|strong="G3004" the|strong="G3588" person wearing|strong="G5409" nice clothes|strong="G2066". You|strong="G4771" say|strong="G3004", “Sit|strong="G2521" here|strong="G5602" in|strong="G1909" this|strong="G3588" good|strong="G2573" seat.” But|strong="G1161" you|strong="G4771" say|strong="G3004" to|strong="G3004" the|strong="G3588" poor|strong="G4434" person, “Stand|strong="G2476" there|strong="G1563"!” or|strong="G2228" “Sit|strong="G2521" on|strong="G1909" the|strong="G3588" floor by|strong="G5259" our|strong="G2532" feet!”
4 Doesn’t|strong="G3756" this|strong="G2532" show|strong="G1096" that|strong="G1096" you|strong="G1722" think some people are|strong="G2532" more|strong="G4190" important than|strong="G2532" others? You|strong="G1722" set|strong="G1096" yourselves|strong="G1438" up as|strong="G1722" judges|strong="G2923"—judges|strong="G2923" who|strong="G2532" make|strong="G3756" bad|strong="G4190" decisions.
5 Listen|strong="G0191", my|strong="G0191" dear|strong="G0027" brothers|strong="G0080" and|strong="G2532" sisters. God|strong="G2316" chose|strong="G1586" the|strong="G3588" poor|strong="G4434" people|strong="G0846" in|strong="G1722" the|strong="G3588" world|strong="G2889" to|strong="G2532" be|strong="G2532" rich|strong="G4145" in|strong="G1722" faith|strong="G4102". He|strong="G2532" chose|strong="G1586" them|strong="G0846" to|strong="G2532" receive the|strong="G3588" kingdom|strong="G0932" God|strong="G2316" promised|strong="G1861" to|strong="G2532" those|strong="G3588" who|strong="G3739" love|strong="G0025" him|strong="G0846".
6 But|strong="G1161" you|strong="G5210" show no|strong="G3756" respect|strong="G1519" to|strong="G1519" those|strong="G3588" who|strong="G3588" are|strong="G3588" poor|strong="G4434". And|strong="G2532" you|strong="G5210" know that|strong="G0846" the|strong="G3588" rich|strong="G4145" are|strong="G3588" the|strong="G3588" ones who|strong="G3588" always try to|strong="G1519" control your|strong="G2532" lives. And|strong="G2532" they|strong="G0846" are|strong="G3588" the|strong="G3588" ones who|strong="G3588" take you|strong="G5210" to|strong="G1519" court|strong="G2922".
7 And|strong="G0846" the|strong="G3588" rich are|strong="G3588" the|strong="G3588" ones who|strong="G3588" insult|strong="G0987" the|strong="G3588" wonderful name|strong="G3686" of|strong="G1909" Christ|strong="G0846", the|strong="G3588" name|strong="G3686" by|strong="G1909" which|strong="G3588" you|strong="G5210" are|strong="G3588" known.
8 One|strong="G3588" law|strong="G3551" rules over|strong="G2596" all|strong="G3588" other laws|strong="G3551". This|strong="G3588" royal|strong="G0937" law|strong="G3551" is|strong="G3588" found in|strong="G2596" the|strong="G3588" Scriptures|strong="G1124": “Love|strong="G0025" your|strong="G0025" neighbor|strong="G4139" the|strong="G3588" same|strong="G5613" as|strong="G5613" you|strong="G4771" love|strong="G0025" yourself|strong="G4572".” If|strong="G1487" you|strong="G4771" obey|strong="G4160" this|strong="G3588" law|strong="G3551", you|strong="G4771" are|strong="G3588" doing|strong="G4160" right|strong="G2573".
9 But|strong="G1161" if|strong="G1487" you|strong="G1487" are|strong="G3588" treating one|strong="G3588" person as|strong="G5613" more important than another, you|strong="G1487" are|strong="G3588" sinning. You|strong="G1487" are|strong="G3588" guilty|strong="G1651" of|strong="G3551" breaking God’s law|strong="G3551".
10 You|strong="G1722" might|strong="G3956" follow all|strong="G3956" of|strong="G3551" God’s law|strong="G3551". But|strong="G1161" if|strong="G3748" you|strong="G1722" fail to|strong="G1722" obey|strong="G5083" only one|strong="G1520" command, you|strong="G1722" are|strong="G3956" guilty|strong="G1777" of|strong="G3551" breaking all|strong="G3956" the|strong="G3956" commands in|strong="G1722" that|strong="G3748" law|strong="G3551".
11 God|strong="G3004" said|strong="G3004", “Don’t|strong="G3756" commit|strong="G3431" adultery|strong="G3431".” The|strong="G3588" same|strong="G2532" God|strong="G3004" also|strong="G2532" said|strong="G3004", “Don’t|strong="G3756" kill.” So|strong="G2532" if|strong="G1487" you|strong="G1487" don’t|strong="G3756" commit|strong="G3431" adultery|strong="G3431", but|strong="G1161" you|strong="G1487" kill someone, you|strong="G1487" are|strong="G3588" guilty of|strong="G3551" breaking all|strong="G3588" of|strong="G3551" God’s law|strong="G3551".
12 You|strong="G3779" will|strong="G3195" be|strong="G2532" judged|strong="G2919" by|strong="G1223" the|strong="G1223" law|strong="G3551" that|strong="G5613" makes|strong="G4160" people|strong="G2919" free. You|strong="G3779" should|strong="G2532" remember|strong="G4160" this|strong="G3779" in|strong="G2532" everything you|strong="G3779" say|strong="G2980" and|strong="G2532" do|strong="G4160".
13 Yes|strong="G1063", you|strong="G4160" must|strong="G4160" show|strong="G4160" mercy|strong="G1656" to|strong="G4160" others|strong="G3588". If you|strong="G4160" do|strong="G4160" not|strong="G3361" show|strong="G4160" mercy|strong="G1656", then|strong="G1063" God|strong="G4160" will|strong="G4160" not|strong="G3361" show|strong="G4160" mercy|strong="G1656" to|strong="G4160" you|strong="G4160" when|strong="G4160" he|strong="G4160" judges you|strong="G4160". But|strong="G1063" the|strong="G3588" one|strong="G3588" who|strong="G3588" shows mercy|strong="G1656" can|strong="G4160" stand without|strong="G3361" fear before|strong="G3588" the|strong="G3588" Judge.
14 My|strong="G2192" brothers|strong="G0080" and|strong="G1161" sisters, if|strong="G1437" a|strong="G2192" person|strong="G5101" claims|strong="G3004" to|strong="G3004" have|strong="G2192" faith|strong="G4102" but|strong="G1161" does|strong="G2192" nothing|strong="G3361", that|strong="G3004" faith|strong="G4102" is|strong="G5101" worth nothing|strong="G3361". Faith|strong="G4102" like|strong="G0846" that|strong="G3004" cannot|strong="G3361" save|strong="G4982" anyone|strong="G5100".
15 Suppose a|strong="G1437" brother|strong="G0080" or|strong="G2228" sister|strong="G0079" in|strong="G2532" Christ comes|strong="G2532" to|strong="G2532" you|strong="G1437" in|strong="G2532" need|strong="G3007" of|strong="G0080" clothes or|strong="G2228" something to|strong="G2532" eat.
16 And|strong="G2532" you|strong="G5210" say|strong="G3004" to|strong="G3004" them|strong="G0846", “God|strong="G0846" be|strong="G2532" with|strong="G1722" you|strong="G5210"! I|strong="G2532" hope you|strong="G5210" stay warm and|strong="G2532" get|strong="G5217" plenty to|strong="G3004" eat,” but|strong="G1161" you|strong="G5210" don’t|strong="G3361" give|strong="G1325" them|strong="G0846" the|strong="G3588" things|strong="G0846" they|strong="G0846" need. If|strong="G2532" you|strong="G5210" don’t|strong="G3361" help them|strong="G0846", your|strong="G2532" words|strong="G2532" are|strong="G3588" worthless.
17 It|strong="G1437" is|strong="G1510" the|strong="G3588" same|strong="G3779" with|strong="G2596" faith|strong="G4102". If|strong="G1437" it|strong="G1437" is|strong="G1510" just|strong="G2532" faith|strong="G4102" and|strong="G2532" nothing|strong="G3361" more|strong="G2596"—if|strong="G1437" it|strong="G1437" doesn’t|strong="G3361" do|strong="G2192" anything—it|strong="G1437" is|strong="G1510" dead|strong="G3498".
18 But|strong="G0235" someone|strong="G5100" might|strong="G5100" argue, “Some|strong="G5100" people|strong="G5100" have|strong="G2192" faith|strong="G4102", and|strong="G4102" others|strong="G3588" have|strong="G2192" good works|strong="G2041".” My|strong="G2192" answer would|strong="G5100" be|strong="G5100" that|strong="G3004" you|strong="G4771" can’t show|strong="G1166" me|strong="G3004" your|strong="G2192" faith|strong="G4102" if you|strong="G4771" don’t do|strong="G2192" anything|strong="G5100". But|strong="G0235" I|strong="G1473" will|strong="G5100" show|strong="G1166" you|strong="G4771" my|strong="G2192" faith|strong="G4102" by|strong="G1537" the|strong="G3588" good I|strong="G1473" do|strong="G2192".
19 You|strong="G4771" believe|strong="G4100" there|strong="G1510" is|strong="G1510" one|strong="G1520" God|strong="G2316". That’s good|strong="G2573", but|strong="G2532" even|strong="G2532" the|strong="G3588" demons|strong="G1140" believe|strong="G4100" that|strong="G3754"! And|strong="G2532" they|strong="G2532" shake with|strong="G2316" fear.
20 You|strong="G3754" fool! Faith|strong="G4102" that|strong="G3754" does|strong="G1510" nothing is|strong="G1510" worth nothing. Do|strong="G1510" you|strong="G3754" want|strong="G2309" me to|strong="G2309" prove this|strong="G3588" to|strong="G2309" you|strong="G3754"?
21 Our|strong="G0011" father|strong="G3962" Abraham|strong="G0011" was|strong="G3588" made right with|strong="G1537" God|strong="G0846" by|strong="G1537" what|strong="G3588" he|strong="G0846" did. He|strong="G0846" offered|strong="G0399" his|strong="G0846" son|strong="G5207" Isaac|strong="G2464" to|strong="G1909" God|strong="G0846" on|strong="G1909" the|strong="G3588" altar|strong="G2379".
22 So|strong="G2532" you|strong="G3754" see|strong="G0991" that|strong="G3754" Abraham’s|strong="G0846" faith|strong="G4102" and|strong="G2532" what|strong="G3588" he|strong="G2532" did worked|strong="G4903" together|strong="G4903". His|strong="G0846" faith|strong="G4102" was|strong="G3588" made|strong="G5048" perfect|strong="G5048" by|strong="G1537" what|strong="G3588" he|strong="G2532" did.
23 This|strong="G3588" shows the|strong="G3588" full|strong="G4137" meaning of|strong="G2316" the|strong="G3588" Scriptures|strong="G1124" that|strong="G3004" say|strong="G3004", “Abraham|strong="G0011" believed|strong="G4100" God|strong="G2316", and|strong="G2532" because|strong="G1161" of|strong="G2316" this|strong="G3588" faith|strong="G4100" he|strong="G2532" was|strong="G3588" accepted as|strong="G1519" one|strong="G3588" who|strong="G3588" is|strong="G2316" right|strong="G1519" with|strong="G2316" God|strong="G2316".” Abraham|strong="G0011" was|strong="G3588" called|strong="G2564" “God’s|strong="G2316" friend|strong="G5384".”
24 So|strong="G2532" you|strong="G3754" see|strong="G3708" that|strong="G3754" people|strong="G0444" are|strong="G2532" made right with|strong="G1537" God by|strong="G1537" what|strong="G3754" they|strong="G2532" do|strong="G3708". They|strong="G2532" cannot|strong="G3756" be|strong="G2532" made right by|strong="G1537" faith|strong="G4102" alone|strong="G3441".
25 Another|strong="G2087" example is|strong="G3588" Rahab|strong="G4460". She was|strong="G3588" a|strong="G2532" prostitute|strong="G4204", but|strong="G1161" she was|strong="G3588" made right with|strong="G1537" God by|strong="G1537" something she did|strong="G4204". She helped those|strong="G3588" who|strong="G3588" were|strong="G3588" spying for|strong="G1537" God’s people|strong="G3588". She welcomed|strong="G5264" them|strong="G1544" into her home and|strong="G2532" helped them|strong="G1544" escape by|strong="G1537" a|strong="G2532" different|strong="G2087" road|strong="G3598".
26 A|strong="G1510" person’s body|strong="G4983" that|strong="G3779" does|strong="G1510" not|strong="G1510" have|strong="G1510" a|strong="G1510" spirit|strong="G4151" is|strong="G1510" dead|strong="G3498". It|strong="G3779" is|strong="G1510" the|strong="G3588" same|strong="G3779" with|strong="G2532" faith|strong="G4102"—faith|strong="G4102" that|strong="G3779" does|strong="G1510" nothing is|strong="G1510" dead|strong="G3498"!