1. My brothers and sisters, do not hold the faith of our glorious Lord Yeshua the Messiah while showing favoritism.
2. For if a man with a gold ring and fine clothes comes into your synagogue, and a poor person in filthy clothes also comes in;
3. and you pay special attention to the one wearing the fine clothing and you say, “Sit here in a good place”; and you say to the poor person, “Stand there,” or “Sit by my footstool”;
4. haven’t you made distinctions between yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?
5. Listen, my dear brothers and sisters. Didn’t God choose the poor in this 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 person. Isn’t it the rich who oppress you and drag you into court?
7. Don’t they blaspheme the good name by which you were called?
8. If, however, you fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well.
9. But if you show favoritism, you are committing sin and are convicted by the Torah as transgressors.
10. For whoever keeps the whole Torah but stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.
11. For the one who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not commit murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a transgressor of the Torah.
12. So speak and act as those who will be judged according to a Torah that gives freedom.
13. For judgment is merciless to the one who does not show mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.