2. For example, two men come to your worship service. One man is wearing gold rings and fine clothes; the other man, who is poor, is wearing shabby clothes.
3. Suppose you give special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say to him, “Please have a seat.” But you say to the poor man, “Stand over there,” or “Sit on the floor at my feet.”
4. Aren’t you discriminating against people and using a corrupt standard to make judgments?
5. Listen, my dear brothers and sisters! Didn’t God choose poor people in the world to become rich in faith and to receive the kingdom that he promised to those who love him?
6. Yet, you show no respect to poor people. Don’t rich people oppress you and drag you into court?
7. Don’t they curse the good name ⌊of Jesus⌋, the name that was used to bless you?
8. You are doing right if you obey this law from the highest authority: “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.”
9. If you favor one person over another, you’re sinning, and this law convicts you of being disobedient.
10. If someone obeys all of God’s laws except one, that person is guilty of breaking all of them.
11. After all, the one who said, “Never commit adultery,” is the same one who said, “Never murder.” If you do not commit adultery but you murder, you become a person who disobeys God’s laws.
12. Talk and act as people who are going to be judged by laws that bring freedom.
13. No mercy will be shown to those who show no mercy to others. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
14. My brothers and sisters, what good does it do if someone claims to have faith but doesn’t do any good things? Can this kind of faith save him?
15. Suppose a believer, whether a man or a woman, needs clothes or food
16. and one of you tells that person, “God be with you! Stay warm, and make sure you eat enough.” If you don’t provide for that person’s physical needs, what good does it do?