Warning against Prejudice
1 My friends, as believers in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, you must never treat people in different ways according to their outward appearance. 2 Suppose a rich man wearing a gold ring and fine clothes comes to your meeting, and a poor man in ragged clothes also comes. 3 If you show more respect to the well-dressed man and say to him, “Have this best seat here,” but say to the poor man, “Stand over there, or sit here on the floor by my feet,” 4 then you are guilty of creating distinctions among yourselves and of making judgments based on evil motives.
5 Listen, my dear friends! God chose the poor people of this world to be rich in faith and to possess the kingdom which he promised to those who love him. 6 But you dishonor the poor! Who are the ones who oppress you and drag you before the judges? The rich! 7 They are the ones who speak evil of that good name which has been given to you.
8 You will be doing the right thing if you obey the law of the Kingdom, which is found in the scripture, “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.” 9 But if you treat people according to their outward appearance, you are guilty of sin, and the Law condemns you as a lawbreaker. 10 Whoever breaks one commandment is guilty of breaking them all. 11 For the same one who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not commit murder.” Even if you do not commit adultery, you have become a lawbreaker if you commit murder. 12 Speak and act as people who will be judged by the law that sets us free. 13 For God will not show mercy when he judges the person who has not been merciful; but mercy triumphs over judgment.
Faith and Actions
14 My friends, what good is it for one of you to say that you have faith if your actions do not prove it? Can that faith save you? 15 Suppose there are brothers or sisters who need clothes and don't have enough to eat. 16 What good is there in your saying to them, “God bless you! Keep warm and eat well!”—if you don't give them the necessities of life? 17 So it is with faith: if it is alone and includes no actions, then it is dead.
18 But someone will say, “One person has faith, another has actions.” My answer is, “Show me how anyone can have faith without actions. I will show you my faith by my actions.” 19 Do you believe that there is only one God? Good! The demons also believe—and tremble with fear. 20 You fool! Do you want to be shown that faith without actions is useless? 21 How was our ancestor Abraham put right with God? It was through his actions, when he offered his son Isaac on the altar. 22 Can't you see? His faith and his actions worked together; his faith was made perfect through his actions. 23 And the scripture came true that said, “Abraham believed God, and because of his faith God accepted him as righteous.” And so Abraham was called God's friend. 24 You see, then, that it is by our actions that we are put right with God, and not by our faith alone.
25 It was the same with the prostitute Rahab. She was put right with God through her actions, by welcoming the Israelite spies and helping them to escape by a different road.
26 So then, as the body without the spirit is dead, also faith without actions is dead.
1 Mani brāļi, lai mūsu godības Kunga Jēzus Kristus ticība jums nesaistās ar cilvēka vaiga uzlūkošanu. 2 Jo, ja jūsu sapulcē ienāktu vīrs ar zelta gredzenu, greznā tērpā, bet ienāktu arī nabags netīrā tērpā, 3 un jūs uzlūkotu to, kas valkā grezno tērpu, un sacītu: tu nosēdies labi ērti še, - bet nabagam sacītu: tu stāvi vai sēdies tur pie mana kāju pamesla, - 4 vai jūs nebūtu nākuši nesaskaņā paši ar sevi un nebūtu izrādījušies par ļaundomīgiem spriedējiem? 5 Klausaities, mani mīļotie brāļi, vai Dievs tos, kas pasaulei ir nabagi, nav izredzējis par bagātniekiem ticībā un tās valsts mantiniekiem, ko Viņš ir apsolījis tiem, kas Viņu mīl? 6 Bet jūs esat nabagu likuši negodā. Vai bagātie pār jums neuzkundzējas? Vai viņi jūs nerauj tiesās? 7 Vai ne viņi ir tie, kas zaimo labo Vārdu, kas saukts pār jums? 8 Ja vien jūs pildāt ķēnišķīgo likumu pēc rakstiem: tev būs savu tuvāku mīlēt kā sevi pašu, - tad jūs darāt labi. 9 Bet, ja jūs cilvēka vaigu uzlūkojat, jūs darāt grēku, un pēc bauslības jūs esat pārkāpēji. 10 Jo, kas visu bauslību pildītu, bet grēkotu pret vienu bausli, tas ir noziedzies pret visiem. 11 Jo, kas ir sacījis: tev nebūs laulību pārkāpt, - ir teicis arī: tev nebūs nokaut. Ja nu tu nepārkāp laulību, bet nokauj, tad tu esi kļuvis bauslības pārkāpējs. 12 Tā runājiet un tā dariet kā tādi, ko tiesās svabadības likums, 13 jo tiesa ir bez žēlastības tam, kas neparāda žēlastību. Žēlastība nebēdā par tiesu! 14 Ko tas palīdz, mani brāļi, ja kāds teic, tam esot ticība, bet tam nav darbu? Vai ticība viņu var izglābt? 15 Ja brālis vai māsa ir kaili un tiem trūkst dienišķas barības, 16 bet kāds no jums viņiem teiktu: ejiet ar mieru, sildieties un baudiet barību, - bet nedotu viņiem to, kas miesai vajadzīgs, ko tas palīdz? 17 Tāpat arī ticība, ja tai nav darbu, tā pati par sevi ir nedzīva. 18 Bet gan kāds teiks: tev ir ticība, un man ir darbi. - Parādi man savu ticību bez darbiem, un es tev parādīšu ticību no saviem darbiem. 19 Tu tici, ka ir viens Dievs, tu dari labi; arī ļaunie gari tic un dreb. 20 Bet vai tu gribi zināt, tukšais cilvēk, ka ticība bez darbiem ir nedzīva? 21 Ābrahāms, mūsu tēvs, vai ne no darbiem viņš tapa taisnots, ziedodams Īzāku, savu dēlu, uz altāra? 22 Tu redzi, ka ticība ir līdzi darbojusies viņa darbiem, un tā darbos ticība ir tapusi pilnīga, 23 un ir piepildīti raksti, kas saka: Ābrahāms ticēja Dievam, un tas viņam tika pielīdzināts par taisnību, - un viņš tika nosaukts Dieva draugs. 24 Redziet, ka no darbiem cilvēks top taisnots un ne no ticības vien. 25 Līdzīgi arī Rahāba, netikle, vai ne no darbiem viņa tika taisnota, sūtņus uzņemdama un pa citu ceļu izlaizdama? 26 Līdzīgi kā miesa bez gara ir nedzīva, tāpat arī nedzīva ir ticība bez darbiem.
