1 My brothers, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ {Kyrios Iesous Christos, Lord of Glory}, the Lord of glory, in partialities {prosopolempsiais: unjust favoritism}.
2 For if a man wearing a gold ring enters your assembly {synagoge: worship gathering} in splendid attire {lamprā: richly adorned}, and a poor man also enters in filthy clothing,
3 And if you turn your attention to the one wearing the splendid garment {estheta: showy clothing} and say, “You, sit here in a good place,” but to the poor man {ptochos: truly needy} you say, “You, stand,” or, “Sit there under my footstool.”
4 Have you not made distinctions among yourselves and become judges {kritai: partial evaluators} with evil thoughts {poneron: morally corrupt}?
5 Listen, my beloved brothers: has not God {Theos, Sovereign Chooser} chosen the poor of the world to be rich in faith {pistei: resilient trust} and heirs of the kingdom He promised to those who love Him?
6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich men {plousios: socially powerful wealthy} the ones who oppress you and who drag you into courts {kriteria: public legal tribunals}?
7 Do they not blaspheme {blasphemeo: speak profanely} the honorable name {onoma: distinguishing identity} that was called upon you?
8 If, however, you carry out the royal {basilikon: kingly command} law according to the Scripture {graphen: sacred writing}, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” then you are doing well.
9 But if you show partiality {prosopolempteite: unjust favoritism}, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors {parabatai: law violators}.
10 For whoever guards the whole law {nomos: covenant code} but stumbles at one point has become guilty {enochos: fully liable} of all of it.
11 For the One who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but you do murder, you have become a transgressor {parabates: one who oversteps} of the law {nomos: covenant command}.
12 In this way, speak {laleite: accountable words} and act as those who are about to be judged by the law of liberty {eleutheria: genuine inner freedom}.
13 For judgment {krisis: decisive verdict} will be without mercy for the one who has not shown mercy {eleos: steadfast compassion}; mercy stands victorious over judgment.
14 What profit {ophelos: spiritual benefit} is there, my brothers, if someone says he has faith {pistis: trustful conviction} but does not have works? Is that faith able to save him?
15 If a brother or a sister is poorly clothed and lacking {leipomenoi: in material need} daily {ephemerou: for a single day} food,
16 But if anyone among you says to them, “Go in peace {eirene: harmony or well-being}, be warmed and be filled,” yet you do not give them the necessities {epitedeia: basic provisions} for the body, what profit is there?
17 In the same way, faith {pistis: unwavering conviction}, if it does not have works {erga: outward deeds}, is dead in itself.
18 Yet someone will challenge, “You possess faith {pistin: professed conviction}, and I have works. Display {deixon: vividly demonstrate} your faith apart from works, and I will display my faith through my works.”
19 You believe that there is one God {theos, Confessed One God}; you do well {kalos: rightly aligned}. Even the demons believe and shudder.
20 But do you want to know, O empty man {kene: without substance}, that faith without works is useless {arge: inactive, not effective}?
21 Was not Abraham {Abraam: covenant ancestor} our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son upon the altar {thysiastērion: sacred place for sacrifices}?
22 You see that the faith {pistis: trusting confidence} was working together with his works, and from the works the faith was made complete {eteleiothe: brought to goal}.
23 And the Scripture was fulfilled when it declared, “Abraham believed God {Theos, Righteous Creditor}, and it was credited to him as righteousness {dikaiosyne: covenant acceptance},” and he was designated a friend of God.
24 You see that a person {anthropos: any human being} is justified by works and not by faith {pisteos: active trust} only.
25 In the same way, was not Rahab the prostitute justified by works {ergon: observable deeds} when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way {hodos: travel route}?
26 For even as a body bereft of the spirit is dead {nekron: lifeless state}, so faith devoid of works {erga: outward deeds} is dead.