A Warning against Favoritism 1 CPDV My brothers, within the glorious faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, do not choose to show favoritism toward persons. BSB BSB: My brothers, as you hold out your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, do not show favoritism.
2 CPDV For if a man has entered your assembly having a gold ring and splendid apparel, and if a poor man has also entered, in dirty clothing, BSB BSB: Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in.
3 CPDV and if you are then attentive to the one who is clothed in excellent apparel, so that you say to him, “You may sit in this good place,” but you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit below my footstool,” BSB BSB: If you lavish attention on the man in fine clothes and say, “Here is a seat of honor,” but say to the poor man, “You must stand” or “Sit at my feet,”
4 CPDV are you not judging within yourselves, and have you not become judges with unjust thoughts? BSB BSB: have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
5 CPDV My most beloved brothers, listen. Has not God chosen the poor in this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that God has promised to those who love him? BSB BSB: Listen, my beloved brothers: Has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom He promised those who love Him?
6 CPDV But you have dishonored the poor. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you through power? And are not they the ones who drag you to judgment? BSB BSB: But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you and drag you into court?
7 CPDV Are not they the ones who blaspheme the good name which has been invoked over you? BSB BSB: Are they not the ones who blaspheme the noble name by which you have been called?
8 CPDV So if you perfect the regal law, according to the Scriptures, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” then you do well. BSB BSB: If you really fulfill the royal law stated in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.
9 CPDV But if you show favoritism to persons, then you commit a sin, having been convicted again by the law as transgressors. BSB BSB: But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
10 CPDV Now whoever has observed the whole law, yet who offends in one matter, has become guilty of all. BSB BSB: Whoever keeps the whole law but stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.
11 CPDV For he who said, “You shall not commit adultery,” also said, “You shall not kill.” So if you do not commit adultery, but you kill, you have become a transgressor of the law. BSB BSB: For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.
12 CPDV So speak and act just as you are beginning to be judged, by the law of liberty. BSB BSB: Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom.
13 CPDV For judgment is without mercy toward him who has not shown mercy. But mercy exalts itself above judgment. BSB BSB: For judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
Faith and Works (Galatians 3:1–9)
15 CPDV So if a brother or sister is naked and daily in need of food, BSB BSB: Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.
16 CPDV and 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? BSB BSB: If one of you tells him, “Go in peace; stay warm and well fed,” but does not provide for his physical needs, what good is that?
17 CPDV Thus even faith, if it does not have works, is dead, in and of itself. BSB BSB: So too, faith by itself, if it does not result in action, is dead.
18 CPDV Now 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. BSB BSB: But someone will say, “You have faith and I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.
20 CPDV So then, are you willing to understand, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? BSB BSB: O foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is worthless?
21 CPDV Was not our father Abraham justified by means of works, by offering his son Isaac upon the altar? BSB BSB: Was not our father Abraham justified by what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?
22 CPDV Do you see that faith was cooperating with his works, and that by means of works faith was brought to fulfillment? BSB BSB: You see that his faith was working with his actions, and his faith was perfected by what he did.
23 CPDV And so the Scripture was fulfilled which says: “Abraham believed God, and it was reputed to him unto justice.” And so he was called the friend of God. BSB BSB: And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called a friend of God.
25 CPDV Similarly also, Rahab, the harlot, was she not justified by works, by receiving the messengers and sending them out through another way? BSB BSB: In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute justified by her actions when she welcomed the spies and sent them off on another route?
26 CPDV For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead. BSB BSB: As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.