2:14 What good is it, my brothers, If any one says he has faith, Can that faith save him? Go in peace. Be warmed and filled, And yet he does not give them the things needed for the body, What good is it? In the same way also faith, If it has no works, is in itself dead. But some one will say: You have faith and I have works. Show me your faith apart from your works, And I will show you works. You believe God is one. my faith by my You do well. The demons also believe and shudder. But do you wish to know, O vain man, That faith apart from works is barren? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, In offering up Isaac his son on the altar? And Abraham believed God, And it was counted to him for righteousness; And he was called the friend of God. 2:23. You see that by works a man is justified, In the same way was not Rahab the harlot In receiving the messengers and sending them out another way ? For as the body apart from the spirit Is dead, In the same way also faith apart from works Is dead. My brothers, do not get into the way of being many teachers, knowing that we shall receive heavier judgment. For in many things we all offend. If any one does not offend in word, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body also. And if we put the horses' bits into their mouths, that they may obey us, we turn about their whole body also. Look, the ships also, though they are so great, and are driven by rough winds, are yet turned about by a very small rudder, wherever the impulse of the steersman wishes. So the tongue also is a little member, and 3:5 boasts great things. Look! how great a forest a little fire kindles. And the tongue is a fire, the world of iniquity among our members is the tongue, which defiles the whole body and sets the world aflame and is ever being set on fire itself by gehenna. For every kind of beasts and birds, of creeping things and things in the sea, is tamed, and has been tamed by mankind, but the tongue can no one tame. It is an uncontrollable evil, it is full of deadly poison. With it we bless the Lord and Father; and with it we curse men, who are made after the likeness of God. Out of the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to occur in this way. Surely the fountain does not send out from the same opening salt water and fresh? Surely a fig-tree, my brothers, cannot yield olives, or a vine, figs? Nor can a salt spring yield fresh water. Who is wise And understanding among you? 3: 14. Do not glory, And do not lie against the truth. This wisdom is not one which comes down from above, But is earthly, sensual, demon-like. For where jealousy and faction are, There is confusion and every vile deed. But the wisdom which is from above is first pure, Then peaceable, forbearing, persuasive, Full of mercy and good fruits, Without vacillation, without hypocrisy. And the fruit of right-doing is sown in peace, For those who make peace. Where do wars come from, And where do the fightings among you come from? Is it not from here, from your lusts, Which keep warring in your members ? You desire and do not have. You kill and covet and cannot obtain. You do not have Because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, Because you ask amiss, That you may spend it on your lusts. 4:4. You adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that the friendship of the world Is enmity with God? So whoever wishes to be a friend of the world Makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you think the scripture speaks in vain, So the scripture says: But giveth grace to the humble, So be subject to God. But resist the devil, And he will flee from you. Draw near to God, And he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, And purify your hearts, you double-minded. Let your laughing be turned to mourning, Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord. Do not talk against each other, brothers. |