Ya'aqub (James) — 2
A Warning against Prejudice
1 My dear brothers and sisters, how can you claim to have Amunah in our Esteemed MASTER 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤏_YAHUSHA Ha'Mashyach if you favor some people over others?
2 For example, suppose someone comes into your assembly dressed in fancy clothes and expensive jewelry, and another comes in who is poor and dressed in dirty clothes.
3 If you give special attention and a good seat to the rich person, but you say to the poor one, “You can stand over there, or else sit on the floor” at my feet,
4 Then you are guilty of creating distinctions among yourselves and of making judgments based on evil motives.
5 Listen to me, dear brothers and sisters, has 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH not chosen the poor in this world to be rich in Amunah? Are they not the ones who will inherit the Kingdom 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH promised to those who love HIM?
6 But you dishonor the poor! Is it not the rich who oppress you and drag you into court?
7 Are they not the ones who slander 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤏_YAHUSHA Ha'Mashyach, whose noble Name you bear?
8 Yes indeed, it is good when you obey the royal law as found in the Scriptures: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
9 But if you favor some people over others, you are committing a sin. You are guilty of breaking the law.
10 For the man who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of the laws of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH.
11 For the same 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH who said, “You must not commit adultery,” also said, “You must not murder.” So if you murder someone but do not commit adultery, you have still broken the law.
12 So whatever you say or whatever you do, remember that you will be judged by the law that sets you free.
13 There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH will be merciful when he judges you.
Amunah without Good Deeds Is Dead
14 What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have Amunah but do not show it by your actions? Can that kind of Amunah save anyone?
15 Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing,
16 And you say, “Good bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well” but then you did not give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?
17 So you see, Amunah by itself is not enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.
18 Now someone may argue, “Some people have Amunah; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your Amunah if you do not have good deeds? I will show you my Amunah by my good deeds.”
19 You say you have Amunah, for you believe that there is one 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror.
20 How foolish! Can you not see that Amunah without good deeds is useless?
21 Do you not remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH by his actions when he offered his son Yachaq on the altar?
22 You see, the Amunah of Abraham and his actions worked together. His actions made his Amunah complete.
23 And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: “Abraham believed
𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH, and 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH counted him as righteous because of his Amunah.” Abraham was even called the friend of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH.
24 So you see, we are shown to be right with 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH by what we do, not by Amunah alone.
25 Rahab the prostitute is another example. She was shown to be right with 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH by her actions when she hid those messengers and sent them safely away by a different road.
26 Just as the body is dead without the ruach and breath, so also Amunah is dead without putting it to work.