James 2:21

for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,

yet knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the law, because no flesh will be justified by the works of the law.

and by him everyone who believes is justified from all things, from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.

For we all stumble in many things. Anyone who doesn’t stumble in word is a perfect person, able to bridle the whole body also.

What shall we say then? Is the law sin? May it never be! However, I wouldn’t have known sin, except through the law. For I wouldn’t have known coveting, unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.”

What then shall we say about these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

For I know nothing against myself. Yet I am not justified by this, but he who judges me is the Lord.

By faith, Abraham, being tested, offered up Isaac. Yes, he who had gladly received the promises was offering up his one and only son,

Jesus said to him, “Today, salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham.

We maintain therefore that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.

For the law produces wrath, for where there is no law, neither is there disobedience.

which none of the rulers of this world has known. For had they known it, they wouldn’t have crucified the Lord of glory.

As many as walk by this rule, peace and mercy be on them, and on God’s Israel.

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by his good conduct that his deeds are done in gentleness of wisdom.

Terah took Abram his son, Lot the son of Haran, his son’s son, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram’s wife. They went from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan. They came to Haran and lived there.

He put the wood in order, and cut the bull in pieces, and laid it on the wood. He said, “Fill four jars with water, and pour it on the burnt offering, and on the wood.”

Yahweh examines the righteous, but his soul hates the wicked and him who loves violence.

Yahweh’s voice is on the waters. The God of glory thunders, even Yahweh on many waters.

Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and doesn’t sin.

Then he will say also to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels;

Are you greater than our father, Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his children and his livestock?”

“Brothers and fathers, listen to the defense which I now make to you.”

For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh;

being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus;

Why? Because they didn’t seek it by faith, but as it were by works of the law. They stumbled over the stumbling stone;

For I, through the law, died to the law, that I might live to God.

Know therefore that those who are of faith are children of Abraham.

In all things be showing yourself an example of good works. In your teaching, be showing integrity, seriousness, incorruptibility,

Everyone who sins also commits lawlessness. Sin is lawlessness.

Noah built an altar to Yahweh, and took of every clean animal, and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.

He said, “Don’t lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.”

and said, “ ‘I have sworn by myself,’ says Yahweh, ‘because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son,

God spoke to Israel in the visions of the night, and said, “Jacob, Jacob!” He said, “Here I am.”

The sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire on the altar, and lay wood in order on the fire;

You shall remember all the way which Yahweh your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, to test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not.

However concerning the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent to him to inquire of the wonder that was done in the land, God left him, to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart.

“Truly I know that it is so, but how can man be just with God?

Do you open your eyes on such a one, and bring me into judgment with you?

Is it for your piety that he reproves you, that he enters with you into judgment?

How then can man be just with God? Or how can he who is born of a woman be clean?

If you, Yah, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand?

He who guards his mouth guards his soul. One who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.

Therefore Yahweh, who redeemed Abraham, says concerning the house of Jacob: “Jacob shall no longer be ashamed, neither shall his face grow pale.

Have the gods of the nations delivered them, which my fathers have destroyed, Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, and the children of Eden who were in Telassar?

“They will go out, and look at the dead bodies of the men who have transgressed against me; for their worm will not die, nor will their fire be quenched, and they will be loathsome to all mankind.”

“Son of man, those who inhabit the waste places in the land of Israel speak, saying, ‘Abraham was one, and he inherited the land; but we are many. The land is given us for inheritance.’

“Yahweh of Armies says: ‘If you will walk in my ways, and if you will follow my instructions, then you also shall judge my house, and shall also keep my courts, and I will give you a place of access among these who stand by.

This will be the plague with which Yahweh will strike all the peoples who have fought against Jerusalem: their flesh will consume away while they stand on their feet, and their eyes will consume away in their sockets, and their tongue will consume away in their mouth.

Therefore produce fruits worthy of repentance, and don’t begin to say among yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father;’ for I tell you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones!

I know that you are Abraham’s offspring, yet you seek to kill me, because my word finds no place in you.

Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day. He saw it, and was glad.”

Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias!” He said, “Behold, it’s me, Lord.”

Brothers, children of the stock of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, the word of this salvation is sent out to you.

For the promise to Abraham and to his offspring that he should be heir of the world wasn’t through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.

The law came in that the trespass might abound; but where sin abounded, grace abounded more exceedingly;

Neither, because they are Abraham’s offspring, are they all children. But, “your offspring will be accounted as from Isaac.”

That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as heirs.

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision amounts to anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith working through love.

Now to him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,

For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he could swear by no one greater, he swore by himself,

What good is it, my brothers, if a man says he has faith, but has no works? Can faith save him?

He said to Abram, “I am Yahweh who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give you this land to inherit it.”

After these things, God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” He said, “Here I am.”

Yahweh’s angel called to him out of the sky, and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” He said, “Here I am.”

All the nations of the earth will be blessed by your offspring, because you have obeyed my voice.’ ”

You are Yahweh, the God who chose Abram, brought him out of Ur of the Chaldees, gave him the name of Abraham,

For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, that we should come together in judgment.

I will tell God, ‘Do not condemn me. Show me why you contend with me.

Your own mouth condemns you, and not I. Yes, your own lips testify against you.

What is man, that he should be clean? What is he who is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?

In that day you will not be disappointed for all your doings, in which you have transgressed against me; for then I will take away out from among you your proudly exulting ones, and you will no more be arrogant in my holy mountain.

Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For yours is the Kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen.’

The Word became flesh, and lived among us. We saw his glory, such glory as of the one and only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.

He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do.

They answered him, “We are Abraham’s offspring, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How do you say, ‘You will be made free’?”

As it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations.” This is in the presence of him whom he believed: God, who gives life to the dead, and calls the things that are not, as though they were.

You are alienated from Christ, you who desire to be justified by the law. You have fallen away from grace.

They came to the place which God had told him of. Abraham built the altar there, and laid the wood in order, bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar, on the wood.

because Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my requirements, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.”

I took your father Abraham from beyond the River, and led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his offspring, and gave him Isaac.

Don’t enter into judgment with your servant, for in your sight no man living is righteous.

If you don’t know, most beautiful among women, follow the tracks of the sheep. Graze your young goats beside the shepherds’ tents.

Look to Abraham your father, and to Sarah who bore you; for when he was but one I called him, I blessed him, and made him many.

Don’t think to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father,’ for I tell you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.

For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

the oath which he swore to Abraham our father,

He cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue! For I am in anguish in this flame.’

“He said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’

They answered him, “Our father is Abraham.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham.

Are you greater than our father, Abraham, who died? The prophets died. Who do you make yourself out to be?”

He said, “Brothers and fathers, listen. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran,

Because by the works of the law, no flesh will be justified in his sight; for through the law comes the knowledge of sin.

What then will we say that Abraham, our forefather, has found according to the flesh?

He is the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had in uncircumcision.

For this cause it is of faith, that it may be according to grace, to the end that the promise may be sure to all the offspring, not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all.

Yes, a man will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

You see then that by works, a man is justified, and not only by faith.