faith and words

¹Now, faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not apparent.

¹⁴My brothers, what benefit is there if someone claims to have faith, but he does not have works? How would faith be able to save him? ¹⁵So if a brother or sister is naked and daily in need of food, ¹⁶and if anyone of you were to say to them: “Go in peace, keep warm and nourished,” and yet not give them the things that are necessary for the body, of what benefit is this? ¹⁷Thus even faith, if it does not have works, is dead, in and of itself. ¹⁸Now someone may say: “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without works! But I will show you my faith by means of works. ¹⁹You believe that there is one God. You do well. But the demons also believe, and they tremble greatly.

²¹Death and life are in the power of the tongue. Whoever values it shall eat from its fruits.

³⁶But I say to you, that for every idle word which men will have spoken, they shall render an account in the day of judgment. ³⁷For by your words shall you be justified, and by your words shall you be condemned.”

¹³But we have the same Spirit of faith. And just as it is written, “I believed, and for that reason I spoke,” so we also believe, and for that reason, we also speak.

²⁹Let no evil words proceed from your mouth, but only what is good, toward the edification of faith, so as to bestow grace upon those who listen.

¹⁷Therefore, faith is from hearing, and hearing is through the Word of Christ.

²⁰But this kind is not cast out, except through prayer and fasting.”

²²And in response, Jesus said to them: “Have the faith of God. ²³Amen I say to you, that whoever will say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and who will not have hesitated in his heart, but will have believed: then whatever he has said be done, it shall be done for him. ²⁴For this reason, I say to you, all things whatsoever that you ask for when praying: believe that you will receive them, and they will happen for you.

⁴A peaceful tongue is a tree of life. But that which is immoderate will crush the spirit.

²²So be doers of the Word, and not listeners only, deceiving yourselves. ²³For if anyone is a listener of the Word, but not also a doer, he is comparable to a man gazing into a mirror upon the face that he was born with; ²⁴and after considering himself, he went away and promptly forgot what he had seen. ²⁵But he who gazes upon the perfect law of liberty, and who remains in it, is not a forgetful hearer, but instead a doer of the work. He shall be blessed in what he does.