faith without deeds

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.

⁶For in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision prevails over anything, but only faith which works through charity.

⁴⁶But why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I say? ⁴⁷Anyone who comes to me, and listens to my words, and does them: I will reveal to you what he is like. ⁴⁸He is like a man building a house, who has dug deep and has laid the foundation upon the rock. Then, when the floodwaters came, the river was rushing against that house, and it was not able to move it. For it was founded upon the rock. ⁴⁹But whoever hears and does not do: he is like a man building his house upon the soil, without a foundation. The river rushed against it, and it soon fell down, and the ruin of that house was great.”

¹⁶They claim that they know God. But, by their own works, they deny him, since they are abominable, and unbelieving, and reprobate, toward every good work.

²And if I have prophecy, and learn every mystery, and obtain all knowledge, and possess all faith, so that I could move mountains, yet not have charity, then I am nothing.

⁸For by grace, you have been saved through faith. And this is not of yourselves, for it is a gift of God. ⁹And this is not of works, so that no one may glory. ¹⁰For we are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for the good works which God has prepared and in which we should walk.

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.

¹⁷Whoever possesses the goods of this world, and sees his brother to be in need, and yet closes his heart to him: in what way does the love of God abide in him? ¹⁸My little sons, let us not love in words only, but in works and in truth.

²¹Not all who say to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the kingdom of heaven. But whoever does the will of my Father, who is in heaven, the same shall enter into the kingdom of heaven. ²²Many will say to me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and perform many powerful deeds in your name?’ ²³And then will I disclose to them: ‘I have never known you. Depart from me, you workers of iniquity.’

⁵But as for you, taking up every concern, minister virtue in your faith; and in virtue, knowledge; ⁶and in knowledge, moderation; and in moderation, patience; and in patience, piety; ⁷and in piety, love of brotherhood; and in love of brotherhood, charity. ⁸For if these things are with you, and if they abound, they will cause you to be neither empty, nor without fruit, within the plan of our Lord Jesus Christ.

¹⁶So then, let your light shine in the sight of men, so that they may see your good works, and may glorify your Father, who is in heaven.

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

⁶But without faith, it is impossible to please God. For whoever approaches God must believe that he exists, and that he rewards those who seek him.

¹⁵If you love me, keep my commandments.

²¹Not all who say to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the kingdom of heaven. But whoever does the will of my Father, who is in heaven, the same shall enter into the kingdom of heaven.

³¹But when the Son of man will have arrived in his majesty, and all the Angels with him, then he will sit upon the seat of his majesty. ³²And all the nations shall be gathered together before him. And he shall separate them from one another, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³And he shall station the sheep, indeed, on his right, but the goats on his left. ³⁴Then the King shall say to those who will be on his right: ‘Come, you blessed of my Father. Possess the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. ³⁵For I was hungry, and you gave me to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me to drink; I was a stranger, and you took me in; ³⁶naked, and you covered me; sick, and you visited me; I was in prison, and you came to me.’

¹⁴But let our men also learn to excel in good works pertaining to the necessities of life, so that they may not be unfruitful.

²⁸For we judge a man to be justified by faith, without the works of the law.