Favoritism Forbidden
1My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. 2Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. 3If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” 4have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
5Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? 6But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? 7Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong?
8If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,”2:8 Lev. 19:18 you are doing right. 9But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. 10For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. 11For he who said, “You shall not commit adultery,”2:11 Exodus 20:14; Deut. 5:18 also said, “You shall not murder.”2:11 Exodus 20:13; Deut. 5:17 If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.
12Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, 13because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
Faith and Deeds
14What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
18But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. 19You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
20You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless2:20 Some early manuscripts dead? 21Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,”2:23 Gen. 15:6 and he was called God’s friend. 24You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.
25In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? 26As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
Kuchita Tsankho Nʼkosaloledwa
1Abale anga, okhulupirira Yesu Khristu waulemerero, musaonetse tsankho. 2Tangoganizirani, pakati panu patabwera munthu atavala mphete yagolide ndi zovala zapamwamba, ndipo winanso wosauka nʼkulowa atavala sanza. 3Ngati musamala kwambiri munthu wovala bwinoyu uja, nʼkumuwuza kuti, “Khalani pa mpando wabwinowu,” koma wosauka uja nʼkumuwuza kuti, “Ima apo,” kapena “Khala pansi pafupi ndi chopondapo mapazi angawa,” 4kodi simunachite tsankho pakati panu ndi kukhala oweruza a maganizo oyipa?
5Tamverani abale anga okondedwa, kodi Mulungu sanasankhe amene dziko lapansi limawaona ngati amphawi kuti akhale olemera mʼchikhulupiriro ndi kulowa ufumu umene Iye analonjeza kwa amene amamukonda? 6Koma mwakhala mukunyoza amphawi. Kodi si anthu olemerawa amene akukudyerani masuku pamutu? Si anthu amenewa amene amakukokerani ku bwalo la milandu? 7Kodi si omwewa amene amachita chipongwe dzina la wolemekezeka, limene inu mumatchulidwa?
8Ngati musungadi lamulo laufumu lija lopezeka mʼMalemba lakuti, “Konda mnansi wako monga iwe mwini,” ndiye kuti mukuchita bwino. 9Koma mukamaonetsa tsankho mukuchimwa, ndipo ndinu wochimwa monga wophwanya lamulo. 10Pakuti amene amasunga Malamulo onse, akangophwanya fundo imodzi yokha, waphwanya Malamulo onse. 11Pakuti amene anati “Usachite chigololo” ndi yemweyonso anati “Usaphe.” Ngati suchita chigololo koma umapha, ndiwe wophwanya Malamulo.
12Muziyankhula ndi kuchita zinthu monga anthu amene mudzaweruzidwe ndi lamulo limene limapereka ufulu, 13chifukwa munthu woweruza mopanda chifundo, nayenso adzaweruzidwa mopanda chifundo. Chifundo chimapambana pa chiweruzo.
Chikhulupiriro ndi Ntchito Zabwino
14Abale anga, phindu lake nʼchiyani ngati munthu anena kuti ali ndi chikhulupiriro koma chopanda ntchito zabwino? Kodi chikhulupiriro choterechi chingamupulumutse? 15Tangoganizirani, mʼbale kapena mlongo amene ali ndi usiwa, ndipo alibe chakudya cha tsiku ndi tsiku. 16Ngati mmodzi wa inu amuwuza kuti, “Pita ndi mtendere, ukafundidwe ndipo ukakhute,” koma osamupatsa zimene akuzisowa, phindu lake nʼchiyani pamenepa? 17Chomwechonso, chikhulupiriro chokha chopanda ntchito zabwino ndi chakufa.
18Koma wina anganene kuti, “Inuyo muli ndi chikhulupiriro koma ine ndili ndi ntchito zabwino.”
Onetsani chikhulupiriro chanu chopanda ntchito zabwino ndipo ineyo ndidzakuonetsani chikhulupiriro changa pochita ntchito zabwino. 19Mumakhulupirira kuti kuli Mulungu mmodzi yekha. Mumachita bwino. Komatu ngakhale ziwanda zimakhulupirira zimenezi ndipo zimanjenjemera ndi mantha.
20Munthu wopusa iwe, kodi ukufuna umboni woti chikhulupiriro chopanda ntchito zabwino nʼchakufa? 21Kodi Abrahamu kholo lathu sanatengedwe kukhala wolungama chifukwa cha zimene anachita pamene anapereka mwana wake Isake pa guwa lansembe? 22Tsono mukuona kuti chikhulupiriro chake ndi ntchito zabwino zinkachitika pamodzi, ndipo chikhulupiriro chake chinasanduka chenicheni chifukwa cha ntchito zake zabwino. 23Ndipo Malemba akunena kuti, “Abrahamu anakhulupirira Mulungu ndipo anatengedwa kukhala wolungama,” ndipo anatchedwa bwenzi la Mulungu. 24Tsono mukuona kuti munthu amasanduka wolungama ndi ntchito zabwino osati ndi chikhulupiriro chokha ayi.
25Nʼchimodzimodzinso, kodi wadama uja, Rahabe, sanasanduke wolungama chifukwa cha zomwe anachita pamene anapereka malo ogona kwa azondi aja ndi kuwathawitsira mbali ina? 26Monga thupi lopanda mzimu ndi lakufa, chomwechonso chikhulupiriro chopanda ntchito zabwino ndi chakufa.
