James · Chapter 2

[ edit] Mi briþeren, nyle ȝe in accepcioun, or takinge, of perſonys, haue þe feiþ of oure Lord Jheſu Criſt of glorie. Forſoþe if þer ſhal entre in to ȝoure couent, or gederinge to gydere, a man hauynge a golden ryng, and in whijt, or fayr, cloþ, forſoþe and a pore man ſhal entre in foul habite, or clooþ, and ȝe biholde in to him þat is cloþid wiþ ful cleer clooþ, and if ȝe ſhulen ſeie to him, Þou ſitte heere wel; ſoþeli to þe pore man ȝe ſeie, Stonde þou þere, or ſitte vndir þe ſtool of my feet; wher ȝe deme not anentis ȝou ſilf, and ben maad domeſmen of wickid þouȝtis?

Here ȝe, my mooſt dereworþe briþeren, wher God chees not pore men in þis world, riche in feiþ, and eyris of þe kyngdom, þat God bihiȝte aȝen to men louynge him? Forſoþe ȝe han deſpiſid þe pore man. Wher riche men oppreſen not ȝou bi power, and drawen ȝou to domys? Wher þei blasfeme not þe good name, þat is inclepid on ȝou? Neþeles if ȝe performen þe kynges lawe, vp ſcriptures, Þou ſhalt loue þi neiȝebore as þi ſilf, ȝe don wel. Soþeli if ȝe taken perſones, ȝe werchen ſynne, ȝe ben repreued of þe lawe, as treſpaſſoures. Forſoþe who euer ſhal kepe al þe lawe, ſoþeli offende in oon, he is maad gylty of alle.

For he þat ſeide, Þou ſhalt not do leccherie, ſeide and, Þou ſhalt not ſle; þat if þou ſhalt not do leccherie, but þou ſleeſt, þou art maad treſpaſſour of þe lawe. Þus ſpeke ȝe, and þus do ȝe, as bigynnynge for to be demyd bi lawe of parfijt fredom. Soþeli doom wiþ outen merſy to him þat doiþ not merſy; forſoþe merci aboue reiſiþ doom. Mi briþeren, what ſhal it profite, if ony man ſeie him for to haue feiþ, werkes forſoþe he haue not? wher feiþ ſhal mowe ſaue him?

Forſoþe if a broþer or ſyſtir be nakid, and han nede of eche day lijflode, forſoþe ony of ȝou ſeie to hem, Go ȝe in pees, be ȝe maad hoot, and be ȝe fulfillid; ſoþeli if ȝe ſhulen not ȝiue to hem what þinges ben neceſſarie of body, what ſhal it profite to ȝou? So and feiþ, if it haþ not werkes, is deed in it ſilf. But ſum man ſhal ſeie, Þou haſt feiþ, and I haue werkes; ſhewe þou to me þi feiþ wiþ outen werkes, and I ſhal ſhewe to þee my feiþ of werkis. Þou bileueſt, for oo God is; þou doiſt wel; and deuels bileuen, and togydere tremblen. Forſoþe wolt þou wite, þou veyn man, for feiþ wiþ outen werkes is ydel?

Abraham, oure fadir, wher he was not iuſtified of werkis, offringe Yſaac, his ſone, on þe auter? Þerfore þou ſeeſt, for feiþ wrouȝte wiþ his werkis, and his feiþ is fulfillid of werkis. And þe ſcripture is fulfillid, ſeiynge, Abraham bileuede to God, and it is rettid to him to riȝtwiſneſſe, and he is clepid þe frend of God. Ȝe ſeen for a man is iuſtified of werkis, and not of feiþ onely. Alſo forſoþe and Raab, hoore, wher ſhe was not iuſtified of werkis, receyuynge þe meſſageres, and bi an oþer weie doynge out, or ſendinge out? Forſoþe as a body wiþ oute ſpirit is deed, ſo and feiþ wiþ oute werkis is deed.