1My brothers, do not hold the belief of our Master יהושע Messiah, the Master of esteem, with partiality.

2For if there should come into your meeting a man with gold rings, in a splendid robe, and there should also come in a poor one dressed in rags,

3and you pay attention to the one wearing the splendid robe and say to him, “You sit here in a good place,” and say to the poor one, “You stand there,” or, “Sit here by my feet,”

4have you not discriminated among yourselves, and become judges with wicked thoughts?

5Listen, my beloved brothers: Has Elohim not chosen the poor of this world, rich in belief and heirs of the reign which He promised to those who love Him?

6But you have shown disrespect towards the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts?

7Do they not blaspheme that good Name by which you are called?

8If you truly accomplish the sovereign law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself,” you do well,

9but if you show partiality, you commit sin, being found guilty by the Torah as transgressors.

10For whoever shall guard all the Torah, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.

11For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of Torah.

12So speak and so do as those who are to be judged by a Torah of freedom.a

13For the judgment is without compassion to the one who has shown no compassion. And compassion boasts over judgment.

14My brothers, what use is it for anyone to say he has belief but does not have works? This belief is unable to save him.

15And if a brother or sister is naked and in need of daily food,

16but one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” but you do not give them the bodily needs, what use is it?

17So also belief, if it does not have works, is in itself dead.

18But someone might say, “You have belief, and I have works.” Show me your belief without your works, and I shall show you my belief by my works.

19You believe that Elohim is one. You do well. The demons also believe – and shudder!

20But do you wish to know, O foolish man, that the belief without the works is dead?

21Was not Aḇraham our father declared right by works when he offered Yitsḥaq his son on the altar?

22Do you see that the belief was working with his works, and by the works the belief was perfected?

23And the Scripture was filled which says, “Aḇraham believed Elohim, and it was reckoned to him for righteousness.” And he was called, “Elohim’s friend.”

24You see, then, that a man is declared right by works, and not by belief alone.

25In the same way, was not Raḥaḇ the whore also declared right by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?

26For as the body without the spirit is dead, so also the belief is dead without the works.