James 2:1-13 (Vespers, 6th reading)
- 1
- My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality.
- 2
- For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes,
- 3
- and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, “You sit here in a good place,” and say to the poor man, “You stand there,” or, “Sit here at my footstool,”
- 4
- have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?
- 5
- Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?
- 6
- But you have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts?
- 7
- Do they not blaspheme that noble name by which you are called?
- 8
- If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well;
- 9
- but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
- 10
- For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.
- 11
- For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.
- 12
- So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty.
- 13
- For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.