Such a man must not expect that he will receive anything from the Lord,

Let no one say, when he is tempted, "It is God who is tempting me!" For God, who cannot be tempted to do wrong, does not himself tempt any one.

Do not be deceived, my dear Brothers.

For the anger of man does not forward the righteous purpose of God.

Put that Message into practice, and do not merely listen to it--deceiving yourselves.

For, when any one listens to it and does not practice it, he is like a man looking at his own face in a mirror.

But he who looks carefully into the perfect Law, the Law of Freedom, and continues to do so, not listening to it and then forgetting it, but putting it into practice--that man will be blessed in what he does.

When a man appears to be religious, yet does not bridle his tongue, but imposes upon his own conscience, that man's religious observances are valueless.

Is not that to make distinctions among yourselves, and show yourselves prejudiced judges?

Listen, my dear Brothers. Has not God chosen those who are poor in the things of this world to be rich through their faith, and to possess the Kingdom which he has promised to those who love him?

But you--you insult the poor man! Is not it the rich who oppress you? Is not it they who drag you into law-courts?

Is not it they who malign that honorable Name which has been bestowed upon you?

He who said 'Thou shalt not commit adultery' also said 'Thou shalt not murder.' If, then, you commit murder but not adultery, you are still an offender against the Law.

For there will be justice without mercy for him who has not acted mercifully. Mercy triumphs over Justice.

My Brothers, what is the good of a man's saying that he has faith, if he does not prove it by actions? Can such faith save him?

And one of you were to say to them--"Go, and peace be with you; find warmth and food for yourselves," and yet you were not to give them the necessaries of life, what good would it be to them?

In just the same way faith, if not followed by actions, is, by itself, a lifeless thing.

It is a part of your Faith, is it not, that there is one God? Good; yet even the demons have that faith, and tremble at the thought.

Look at our ancestor, Abraham. Was not it the result of his actions that he was pronounced righteous after he had offered his son, Isaac, on the altar?

You see, then, that it is as the result of his actions that a man is pronounced righteous, and not of his faith only.

Was not it the same with the prostitute, Rahab? Was not it as the result of her actions that she was pronounced righteous, after she had welcomed the messengers and hastened them away by a different road?

I do not want many of you, my Brothers, to become teachers, knowing, as you do, that we who teach shall be judged by a more severe standard than others.

We often make mistakes, every one of us. Any one who does not make mistakes when speaking is indeed a perfect man, able to bridle his whole body as well.

From the very same mouth come blessings and curses! My Brothers, it is not right that this should be so.

But, while you harbor envy and bitterness and a spirit of rivalry in your hearts, do not boast or lie to the detriment of the Truth.

That is not the wisdom which comes from above; no, it is earthly, animal, devilish.

What is the cause of the fighting and quarreling that goes on among you? Is not it to be found in the desires which are always at war within you?

You crave, yet do not obtain. You murder and rage, yet cannot gain your end. You quarrel and fight. You do not obtain, because you do not ask.

You ask, yet do not receive, because you ask for a wrong purpose--to spend what you get upon your pleasures.

Unfaithful people! Do not you know that to be friends with the world means to be at enmity with God? Therefore whoever chooses to be friends with the world makes himself an enemy to God.

Do not disparage one another, Brothers. He who disparages his Brother, or passes judgment on his Brother, disparages the Law and passes judgment on the Law. But, if you pass judgment on the Law, you are not obeying it, but judging it.

And yet you do not know what your life will be like to-morrow! For you are but a mist appearing for a little while and then disappearing.

You have condemned, you have murdered, the Righteous One! Must not God be opposed to you?

And you must be patient also, and not be discouraged; for the Lord's Coming is near.

Do not make complaints against one another, Brothers, or judgment will be passed upon you. The Judge is already standing at the door!

Elijah was only a man like ourselves, but, when he prayed fervently that it might not rain, no rain fell upon the land for three years and a half.