Faith That Works

My brothers, you cannot hold on to faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ and play favorites at the same time.

Ἀδελφοίa brother μου,I μὴnot ἐνin, by προσωπολημψίαιςfavoritism, partiality ἔχετεI have, hold, possess τὴνthe πίστινfaith, trust τοῦthe κυρίουlord, Lord, master, sir ἡμῶνI ἸησοῦJesus Χριστοῦanointed, the Messiah, the Christ τῆςthe δόξης;honor, renown, glory splendor

Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing gold rings and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy clothes also comes in,

ἐὰνif γὰρfor εἰσέλθῃI go in, come in, enter εἰςinto, so that συναγωγὴνan assembly, congregation, synagogue ὑμῶνyou ἀνὴρa male human being, a man χρυσοδακτύλιοςadorned with a gold ring ἐνin, by ἐσθῆτιclothing, raiment λαμπρᾷ,shining, magnificent, bright εἰσέλθῃI go in, come in, enter δὲnow, but καὶand, also πτωχὸςpoor, destitute ἐνin, by ῥυπαρᾷfilthy, defiled ἐσθῆτι,clothing, raiment

and you make a fuss over the man in the fine clothes and say, 'Please, take this good seat,' while you tell the poor man, 'Stand over there,' or 'Sit on the floor by my footstool,'

ἐπιβλέψητεI look with favor on δὲnow, but ἐπὶupon, concerning τὸνthe φοροῦνταI carry, wear τὴνthe ἐσθῆταclothing, raiment τὴνthe λαμπρὰνshining, magnificent, bright καὶand, also εἴπητε·I say, speak Σὺyou κάθουI sit, am seated ὧδεhere καλῶς,well, nobly, rightly καὶand, also τῷthe πτωχῷpoor, destitute εἴπητε·I say, speak Σὺyou στῆθιI cause to stand, stand ἢor, than κάθουI sit, am seated ἐκεῖthere, yonder, thither ὑπὸby, under, about τὸthe ὑποπόδιόνa footstool μου,I

haven't you made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil motives?

οὐnot διεκρίθητεI distinguish, discern, doubt, hesitate ἐνin, by ἑαυτοῖςhimself, herself, itself καὶand, also ἐγένεσθεto come to be, be made κριταὶa judge διαλογισμῶνa calculation, reasoning, thought, plotting πονηρῶν;evil, bad, wicked

Listen, my dear brothers: hasn't God chosen those who are poor in the world's eyes to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised to those who love him?

ἀκούσατε,I hear, listen ἀδελφοίa brother μουI ἀγαπητοί.loved, beloved οὐχnot ὁthe θεὸςGod ἐξελέξατοI choose, elect τοὺςthe πτωχοὺςpoor, destitute τῷthe κόσμῳthe world, universe πλουσίουςrich ἐνin, by πίστειfaith, trust καὶand, also κληρονόμουςan heir, inheritor τῆςthe βασιλείαςkingship, sovereignty, authority, rule, kingdom ἧςwho, which ἐπηγγείλατοI promise, profess τοῖςthe ἀγαπῶσινI love αὐτόν;he, his, it

But you have dishonored the poor man. Isn't it the rich who are oppressing you and dragging you into court?

ὑμεῖςyou δὲnow, but ἠτιμάσατεI disgrace, dishonor τὸνthe πτωχόν.poor, destitute οὐχnot οἱthe πλούσιοιrich καταδυναστεύουσινI overpower, quell, treat harshly ὑμῶν,you καὶand, also αὐτοὶhe, his, it ἕλκουσινdrag, draw ὑμᾶςyou εἰςinto, so that κριτήρια;criterion, a law-court

Aren't they the ones who slander the noble name of the one to whom you belong?

οὐκnot αὐτοὶhe, his, it βλασφημοῦσινI speak evil against, blaspheme τὸthe καλὸνbeautiful, good, worthy ὄνομαname, character, reputation τὸthe ἐπικληθὲνI call by an additional name, appeal to ἐφ’upon, concerning ὑμᾶς;you

If you really keep the royal law found in the Scripture, 'Love your neighbor as yourself,' you are doing well.

Εἰif μέντοιindeed, yet, however νόμονa law, the Mosaic Law τελεῖτεI end, accomplish, pay βασιλικὸνconnected with a king, royal, regal κατὰdown from, against, according to, throughout, during τὴνthe γραφήνa writing, passage of scripture, the scriptures ἈγαπήσειςI love τὸνthe πλησίονnear, nearby, a neighbor σουyou ὡςas, like as, how, while, so that σεαυτόν,of yourself καλῶςwell, nobly, rightly ποιεῖτε·I do, make

But if you show favoritism, you are committing sin, and the law convicts you as lawbreakers.

εἰif δὲnow, but προσωπολημπτεῖτε,show favoritism ἁμαρτίανa sin ἐργάζεσθε,I word, trade, do ἐλεγχόμενοιI rebuke, expose ὑπὸby, under, about τοῦthe νόμουa law, the Mosaic Law ὡςas, like as, how, while, so that παραβάται.a transgressor

For whoever keeps the whole law but stumbles at one point has become guilty of all of it.

ὅστιςwhosoever, whichsoever, whatsoever γὰρfor ὅλονall, the whole, entire τὸνthe νόμονa law, the Mosaic Law τηρήσῃ,I keep, guard, observe πταίσῃI stumble, fall, sin δὲnow, but ἐνin, by ἑνί,into, in, among, till, for γέγονενto come to be, be made πάντωνall, the whole, every kind of ἔνοχος.involved in, liable

The one who said, 'You shall not commit adultery,' also said, 'You shall not murder.' So if you never commit adultery but you murder, you have still broken the law.

ὁthe γὰρfor εἰπώνI say, speak Μὴnot μοιχεύσῃςI commit adultery εἶπενI say, speak καίand, also Μὴnot φονεύσῃς·I murder εἰif δὲnow, but οὐnot μοιχεύειςI commit adultery φονεύειςI murder δέ,now, but γέγοναςto come to be, be made παραβάτηςa transgressor νόμου.a law, the Mosaic Law

So speak and act as people who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom.

οὕτωςthus, so, in this manner λαλεῖτεto speak καὶand, also οὕτωςthus, so, in this manner ποιεῖτεI do, make ὡςas, like as, how, while, so that διὰthrough νόμουa law, the Mosaic Law ἐλευθερίαςfreedom, liberty μέλλοντεςI am about to κρίνεσθαι.I judge, decide, think good

For judgment will show no mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

ἡthe γὰρfor κρίσιςjudging, divine judgment ἀνέλεοςwithout mercy τῷthe μὴnot ποιήσαντιI do, make ἔλεος·pity, mercy κατακαυχᾶταιI boast against ἔλεοςpity, mercy κρίσεως.judging, divine judgment

My brothers, what use is it if someone claims to have faith but has no works to show? Can faith like that save him?

Τίany one, some one ὄφελος,advantage, gain, profit ἀδελφοίa brother μου,I ἐὰνif πίστινfaith, trust λέγῃI say, speak τιςany one, some one ἔχεινI have, hold, possess ἔργαwork, labor, action, deed δὲnow, but μὴnot ἔχῃ;I have, hold, possess μὴnot δύναταιI am powerful, am able ἡthe πίστιςfaith, trust σῶσαιI save, heal αὐτόν;he, his, it

Suppose a brother or sister has no clothes and has no food for the day,

ἐὰνif ἀδελφὸςa brother ἢor, than ἀδελφὴa sister γυμνοὶwearing only the under-garment, bare ὑπάρχωσινI am, exist, am in possession καὶand, also λειπόμενοιI am wanting, am left behind τῆςthe ἐφημέρουfor the day, daily τροφῆς,food, nourishment

and one of you tells them, 'Go in peace, stay warm and eat your fill,' but you give them nothing for their bodies, what use is that?

εἴπῃI say, speak δέnow, but τιςany one, some one αὐτοῖςhe, his, it ἐξout of, from ὑμῶν·you ὙπάγετεI go away, depart ἐνin, by εἰρήνῃ,peace, peace of mind θερμαίνεσθεwarm oneself καὶand, also χορτάζεσθε,I feed, satisfy μὴnot δῶτεI offer, give δὲnow, but αὐτοῖςhe, his, it τὰthe ἐπιτήδειαnecessary τοῦthe σώματος,body, flesh τίany one, some one ὄφελος;advantage, gain, profit

In the same way, faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

οὕτωςthus, so, in this manner καὶand, also ἡthe πίστις,faith, trust ἐὰνif μὴnot ἔχῃI have, hold, possess ἔργα,work, labor, action, deed νεκράdead, a corpse ἐστινto be καθ’down from, against, according to, throughout, during ἑαυτήν.himself, herself, itself

But someone will say, 'You have faith; I have works.' Show me your faith apart from works, and I will let my works show you my faith.

Ἀλλ’but, except ἐρεῖI say, speak τις·any one, some one Σὺyou πίστινfaith, trust ἔχειςI have, hold, possess κἀγὼI also, I too ἔργαwork, labor, action, deed ἔχω.I have, hold, possess δεῖξόνI point out, show μοιI τὴνthe πίστινfaith, trust σουyou χωρὶςwithout, apart from τῶνthe ἔργων,work, labor, action, deed κἀγώI also, I too σοιyou δείξωI point out, show ἐκout of, from τῶνthe ἔργωνwork, labor, action, deed μουI τὴνthe πίστιν.faith, trust

You believe that God is one? Good! Even the demons believe that, and they shudder.

σὺyou πιστεύειςto believe ὅτιthat εἷςinto, in, among, till, for ἐστινto be ὁthe θεός;God καλῶςwell, nobly, rightly ποιεῖς·I do, make καὶand, also τὰthe δαιμόνιαan evil-spirit, demon πιστεύουσινto believe καὶand, also φρίσσουσιν.I shudder

You foolish person, do you want proof that faith without works is useless?

θέλειςI will, wish, desire δὲnow, but γνῶναι,I come to know, learn, realize ὦomega ἄνθρωπεa man, one of the human race κενέ,empty, vain, hollow ὅτιthat ἡthe πίστιςfaith, trust χωρὶςwithout, apart from τῶνthe ἔργωνwork, labor, action, deed ἀργήidle, lazy, thoughtless ἐστιν;to be

Was not our father Abraham justified by works when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?

ἈβραὰμAbraham ὁthe πατὴρfather, Father, ancestor ἡμῶνI οὐκnot ἐξout of, from ἔργωνwork, labor, action, deed ἐδικαιώθη,I make righteous, defend the cause of, justify ἀνενέγκαςI carry up, lead up, offer up ἸσαὰκIsaac τὸνthe υἱὸνa son, descendent αὐτοῦhe, his, it ἐπὶupon, concerning τὸthe θυσιαστήριον;an altar

You see that his faith and his works were working together, and his faith was made perfect by what he did.

βλέπειςto see ὅτιthat ἡthe πίστιςfaith, trust συνήργειI work together τοῖςthe ἔργοιςwork, labor, action, deed αὐτοῦhe, his, it καὶand, also ἐκout of, from τῶνthe ἔργωνwork, labor, action, deed ἡthe πίστιςfaith, trust ἐτελειώθη,I complete, accomplish, make perfect

So the Scripture came true that says, 'Abraham believed God, and that was counted to him as righteousness,' and he was called the friend of God.

καὶand, also ἐπληρώθηI fill, fulfill, complete ἡthe γραφὴa writing, passage of scripture, the scriptures ἡthe λέγουσα·I say, speak Ἐπίστευσενto believe δὲnow, but ἈβραὰμAbraham τῷthe θεῷ,God καὶand, also ἐλογίσθηI reckon, count, decide αὐτῷhe, his, it εἰςinto, so that δικαιοσύνην,justice, justness, righteousness καὶand, also φίλοςfriendly, a friend θεοῦGod ἐκλήθη.I call, invite, name

So you see that a person is justified by works and not by faith only.

ὁρᾶτεto see ὅτιthat ἐξout of, from ἔργωνwork, labor, action, deed δικαιοῦταιI make righteous, defend the cause of, justify ἄνθρωποςa man, one of the human race καὶand, also οὐκnot ἐκout of, from πίστεωςfaith, trust μόνον.only, solitary, desolate

And Rahab the prostitute: wasn't she justified by works in the same way, when she took in the messengers and sent them off by a different road?

ὁμοίωςin like manner δὲnow, but καὶand, also ῬαὰβRahab ἡthe πόρνηa prostitute οὐκnot ἐξout of, from ἔργωνwork, labor, action, deed ἐδικαιώθη,I make righteous, defend the cause of, justify ὑποδεξαμένηI receive as a guest τοὺςthe ἀγγέλουςan angel, messenger καὶand, also ἑτέρᾳanother, different ὁδῷa way, road, journey ἐκβαλοῦσα;I throw, cast, put out, banish, bring forth, produce

A body without breath is dead, and in just the same way faith without works is dead.

ὥσπερjust as, as γὰρfor τὸthe σῶμαbody, flesh χωρὶςwithout, apart from πνεύματοςwind, breath, spirit νεκρόνdead, a corpse ἐστιν,to be οὕτωςthus, so, in this manner καὶand, also ἡthe πίστιςfaith, trust χωρὶςwithout, apart from ἔργωνwork, labor, action, deed νεκράdead, a corpse ἐστιν.to be