001:026 If a man thinks that he is scrupulously religious,
although he is not curbing his tongue but is deceiving himself,
his religious service is worthless.
001:027 The religious service which is pure and stainless in the sight
of our God and Father is to visit fatherless children and widowed
women in their time of trouble, and to keep one's own self
unspotted from the world.
002:001 My brethren, you must not make distinctions between one man
and another while you are striving to maintain faith in
the Lord Jesus Christ, who is our glory.
002:002 For suppose a man comes into one of your meetings wearing gold
rings and fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man
wearing shabby clothes,
002:003 and you pay court to the one who wears the fine clothes, and say,
"Sit here; this is a good place;" while to the poor man you say,
"Stand there, or sit on the floor at my feet;"
002:004 is it not plain that in your hearts you have little faith,
seeing that you have become judges full of wrong thoughts?
002:005 Listen, my dearly-loved brethren. Has not God chosen those whom
the world regards as poor to be rich in faith and heirs
of the Kingdom which He has promised to those that love Him?
002:006 But *you* have put dishonour upon the poor man.
Yet is it not the rich who grind you down? Are not they
the very people who drag you into the Law courts?--
002:007 and the very people who speak evil of the noble Name by which
you are called?
002:008 If, however, you are keeping the Law as supreme, in obedience
to the Commandment which says "You are to love your fellow
man just as you love yourself," you are acting rightly.
002:009 But if you are making distinctions between one man and another,