“ Suppose there is a godly man who does what is fair and right.

“人若是公义，且行正直与合理的事：

“人若是公义，行公平公义的事：

“人若是公义，行公平公义的事：

“倘若有义人秉公行义，

“人若是公义，又行公道和正直的事：

「人若是公義，且行正直與合理的事：

「人若是公義，行公平公義的事：

「人若是公義，行公平公義的事：

「倘若有義人秉公行義，

“人若是公義，又行公道和正直的事：

『人若是公義，行公平正義的事，

人若為義、循法合理、

如人為義行善。

人若虔誠、為義行善、

“ Suppose there is a righteous man who does what is just and right.

“ If a man is righteous and does what is just and right—

“ Suppose a certain man is righteous and does what is just and right.

“ Suppose a man is righteous and does what is just and right:

“ But if a man is righteous and practices justice and righteousness,

But if a man is just And does what is lawful and right;

But if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right,

“ Now suppose a man is righteous and does what is just and right:

But if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right,

“ Suppose a man is righteous. He practices what is just and right,

“ But if a man is just, and does that which is lawful and right,

Anyone who has clean hands and a pure heart. Anyone who does not trust in the statue of a god. Anyone who doesn’t use the name of that god when he makes a promise.People like that will receive the Lord’ s blessing. When God their Savior hands down his sentence, it will be in their favor.The people who look to God are like that. God of Jacob, they look to you.

God will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good. They want glory, honor, and life that never ends.But there are others who only look out for themselves. They don’t accept the truth. They go astray. God will pour out his great anger on them.There will be trouble and suffering for everyone who does evil. That is meant first for the Jews. It is also meant for the Gentiles.But there will be glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good. That is meant first for the Jews. It is also meant for the Gentiles.

Don’t just listen to the word. You fool yourselves if you do that. You must do what it says.Suppose someone listens to the word but doesn’t do what it says. Then they are like a person who looks at their face in a mirror.After looking at themselves, they leave. And right away they forget what they look like.But suppose someone takes a good look at the perfect law that gives freedom. And they keep looking at it. Suppose they don’t forget what they’ve heard, but they do what the law says. Then this person will be blessed in what they do.

“ Not everyone who says to me,‘ Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven. Only those who do what my Father in heaven wants will enter.Many will say to me on that day,‘ Lord! Lord! Didn’t we prophesy in your name? Didn’t we drive out demons in your name? Didn’t we do many miracles in your name?’Then I will tell them clearly,‘ I never knew you. Get away from me, you who do evil!’“ So then, everyone who hears my words and puts them into practice is like a wise man. He builds his house on the rock.The rain comes down. The water rises. The winds blow and beat against that house. But it does not fall. It is built on the rock.But everyone who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man. He builds his house on sand.The rain comes down. The water rises. The winds blow and beat against that house. And it falls with a loud crash.”

You know that God is right and always does what is right. And you know that everyone who does what is right is God’s child.

“ Jehoiakim, does having more and more cedar boards make you a king? Your father Josiah had enough to eat and drink. He did what was right and fair. So everything went well with him.

We know that we have come to know God if we obey his commands.

Dear children, don’t let anyone lead you astray. The person who does what is right is holy, just as Christ is holy.

I have chosen him. He must direct his children to live in the way that pleases me. And he must direct the members of his family after him to do the same. So he must guide all of them in doing what is right and fair. Then I, the Lord, will do for Abraham what I have promised him.”

“ Blessed are those who wash their robes. They will have the right to come to the tree of life. They will be allowed to go through the gates into the city.

Anyone who lives without blame and does what is right. They speak the truth from their heart.They don’t tell lies about other people. They don’t do wrong to their neighbors. They don’t say anything bad about them.They hate evil people. But they honor those who have respect for the Lord. They keep their promises even when it hurts. They do not change their mind.They lend their money to poor people without charging interest. They don’t accept money to harm those who aren’t guilty. Anyone who lives like that will always be secure.

Do what is right and fair. The Lord accepts that more than sacrifices.

Suppose I say to a sinful person,‘ You can be sure you will die.’ And then they turn away from their sin. They do what is fair and right.

Here is how we know that we love God’s children. We know it when we love God and obey his commands.In fact, here is what it means to love God. We love him by obeying his commands. And his commands are not hard to obey.That’s because everyone who is a child of God has won the battle over the world. Our faith has won the battle for us.Who is it that has won the battle over the world? Only the person who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

Suppose a person claims to have faith but doesn’t act on their faith. My brothers and sisters, can this kind of faith save them?Suppose a brother or a sister has no clothes or food.Suppose one of you says to them,“ Go. I hope everything turns out fine for you. Keep warm. Eat well.” And suppose you do nothing about what they really need. Then what good have you done?It is the same with faith. If it doesn’t cause us to do something, it’s dead.But someone will say,“ You have faith. I do good deeds.” Show me your faith that doesn’t cause you to do good deeds. And I will show you my faith by the goods deeds I do.You believe there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that. And they tremble!You foolish person! Do you want proof that faith without good deeds is useless?Our father Abraham offered his son Isaac on the altar. Wasn’t he considered to be right with God because of what he did?So you see that what he believed and what he did were working together. What he did made his faith complete.That is what Scripture means where it says,“ Abraham believed God. God accepted Abraham because he believed. So his faith made him right with God.”( Genesis 15:6) And that’s not all. God called Abraham his friend.So you see that a person is considered right with God by what they do. It doesn’t happen only because they believe.Didn’t God consider even Rahab the prostitute to be right with him? That’s because of what she did for the spies. She gave them a place to stay. Then she sent them off in a different direction.A person’s body without their spirit is dead. In the same way, faith without good deeds is dead.