1 My dear brothers and sisters, you are believers in our wonderful Master YAHUSHA MESSIAH. So don’t treat some people better than others (partiality). 2 Suppose someone comes into your meeting wearing very nice clothes and a gold ring. At the same time a poor person comes in wearing old, dirty clothes. 3 You show special attention to the person wearing nice clothes. You say, “Sit here in this good seat.” But you say to the poor person, “Stand over there!” or “Sit on the floor by our feet!” 4 Doesn’t this show that you think some people are more important than others? You set yourselves up as judges - judges with wicked thoughts!
5 Listen everyone. YAHUSHA chose the poor people in the world to be rich in belief. He chose them to inherit His Kingdom which He promised to those who love Him. 6 But you have shown no respect to those who are poor, even though you know that the rich are the ones who always try to control your lives, oppressing and dragging you into court. 7 And the rich are the ones who insult the wonderful Name of our Messiah, the name by which you are called.
8 One law rules king over all the others (according to the Scripture) : “Love your neighbour the same as you love yourself.” (LEV 19:18) For if you obey this law, you will do very well. 9 But if you are treating one person as more important than another, you are sinning, and guilty of breaking YAHUAH’S laws. 10 You might guard all of YAHUAH’S Instructions, but if you fail to obey just one command, you’re guilty of breaking all of them. 11 For YAHUAH said, “Don’t commit adultery”, and “Don’t murder.” So if you don’t commit adultery, but you kill someone, you are still guilty of breaking all of YAHUAH’S Instructions.
12 You will be judged by the Divine Laws that makes people free, so remember this in everything you say and do. 13 Yes, you must show compassion to others. For if you don’t, then YAHUSHA will not show compassion to you when He judges you. But the one who shows compassion can stand without fear before the Judge.
14 My brothers and sisters, if a person claims to have belief but does nothing to behave or show it, that belief is actually worth nothing. For belief like that cannot deliver anyone. 15 Suppose a brother or sister in Messiah comes to you in need of clothes or something to eat. 16 And you say to them, “YAHUSHA be with you! I hope you stay warm and get plenty to eat,” but you don’t give them the things they need. If you don’t help them, your words are worthless. 17 It is the same with belief. If it is just belief and nothing more—if it’s not active and doesn’t do anything - it is truly dead.
18 But someone might say, “You have belief, and I have good works (behaviour).” My answer would be that you can’t show me your belief if you’re not actively behaving the right way. But I’ll show you my belief through my behaviour. 19 You believe that Alahim is one! Well woop-di-doo that’s great, but even the demons believe that! And they shake with fear!
(BUT THEY AREN’T OBEDIENT OR BEHAVING AS THEY SHOULD)
20 You fool! Belief that’s not actively behaved is completely dead and useless. Do you want me to prove this to you? 21 Our father Abraham was made right with YAHUAH by his active obedient behaviour. He actually offered his son Isaac to YAHUAH on the altar. 22 So you see that Abraham’s belief and behaviour worked together, so that through his active behaviour, His belief was perfected and matured. 23 This fulfilled the Scriptures that say, “Abraham believed YAHUAH, and because of this belief he was accepted as righteous before YAHUAH.” Abraham was actually called “YAHUAH’S friend.” 24 So you see that people are declared right with YAHUAH by through their behaviour, and cannot be made right by just belief alone.
25 Another example is Rahab. She was a prostitute, but she was made right with YAHUAH her choices and behaviour also. She helped those who were spying for YAHUAH’S people. She welcomed them into her home and helped them escape by a different road. 26 A person’s body without the spirit is dead, so likewise, belief that’s not active is dead!
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