Послание апостола Иакова 2
1 Братие моя, не на лица зряще имейте веру Господа нашего Иисуса Христа славы.2 Аще бо внидет в сонмище ваше муж, злат перстень нося, в ризе светле, внидет же и нищь в худе одежди,3 и воззрите на носящаго ризу светлу, и речете ему: ты сяди зде добре: и нищему речете: ты стани тамо, или сяди зде на подножии моем:4 и не разсмотристе в себе, и бысте судии помышлений злых.5 Слышите, братие моя возлюбленная, не Бог ли избра нищыя мира сего богаты в вере и наследники Царствия, еже обеща любящым его?6 вы же укористе нищаго. Не богатии ли насилуют вам, и тии влекут вы на судища?7 не тии ли хулят доброе имя нареченное на вас?8 Аще убо закон совершаете царский, по писанию: возлюбиши искренняго своего якоже себе самаго, добре творите:9 аще же на лица зрите, то грех содеваете, обличаеми от закона якоже преступницы.10 Иже бо весь закон соблюдет, согрешит же во единем, бысть всем повинен.11 Рекий бо: не прелюбы сотвориши, рекл есть и: не убиеши. Аще же не прелюбы сотвориши, убиеши же, был еси преступник закона.12 Тако глаголите и тако творите, яко законом свободным имущии суд прияти.13 Суд бо без милости не сотворшему милости: и хвалится милость на суде.14 Кая польза, братие моя, аще веру глаголет кто имети, дел же не имать? еда может вера спасти его?15 Аще же брат или сестра нага будета и лишена будета дневныя пищи,16 речет же има кто от вас: идита с миром, грейтася и насыщайтася? не даст же има требования телеснаго: кая польза?17 Такожде и вера, аще дел не имать, мертва есть о себе.18 Но речет кто: ты веру имаши, аз же дела имам: покажи ми веру твою от дел твоих, и аз тебе покажу от дел моих веру мою.19 Ты веруеши, яко Бог един есть: добре твориши: и беси веруют, и трепещут.20 Хощеши же ли разумети, о, человече суетне, яко вера без дел мертва есть?21 Авраам отец наш не от дел ли оправдася, вознес исаака сына своего на жертвенник?22 Видиши ли, яко вера поспешествоваше делом его, и от дел совершися вера?23 И совершися писание глаголющее: верова же авраам Богови, и вменися ему в правду, и друг Божий наречеся.24 Зрите ли убо, яко от дел оправдается человек, а не от веры единыя?25 Такожде же и раав блудница не от дел ли оправдася, приемши сходники и иным путем изведши их?26 Якоже бо тело без духа мертво есть, тако и вера без дел мертва есть.
James 2
Prejudice and the Law of Love
1 My brothers and sisters,t do not show prejudicet if you possess faitht in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ.t2 For if someonet comes into your assemblyt wearing a gold ring and fine clothing, and a poor person enters in filthy clothes,3 do you pay attention to the one who is finely dressed and say,t “You sit here in a good place,”t and to the poor person, “You stand over there,” or “Sit on the floor”?t4 If so, have you not made distinctionst among yourselves and become judges with evil motives?t5 Listen, my dear brothers and sisters!t Did not God choose the poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he promised to those who love him?6 But you have dishonored the poor!t Are not the rich oppressing you and dragging you into the courts?7 Do they not blaspheme the good name of the one you belong to?t8 But if you fulfill the royal law as expressed in this scripture,t “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,”s you are doing well.9 But if you show prejudice, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as violators.t10 For the one who obeys the whole law but failst in one point has become guilty of all of it.t11 For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,”s also said, “Do not murder.”s Now if you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a violator of the law.12 Speak and act as those who will be judged by a law that gives freedom.t
13 For judgment is merciless for the one who has shown no mercy. But mercy triumphs overt judgment.
Faith and Works Together
14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters,t if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? Can this kind of faitht save him?s15 If a brother or sistert is poorly clothed and lacks daily food,16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm and eat well,” but you do not give them what the body needs,t what good is it?17 So also faith, if it does not have works, is dead being by itself.18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.”t Show me your faith without works and I will show you faith byt my works.
19 You believe that God is one; well and good.t Even the demons believe that – and tremble with fear.t
20 But would you like evidence,t you empty fellow,t that faith without works is useless?s21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?22 You see that his faith was working together with his works and his faith was perfected by works.23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Now Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness,”s and he was called God’s friend.s24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.25 And similarly, was not Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she welcomed the messengers and sent them out by another way?
26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.