1  My brothers and sisters, do you with your acts of favoritism really believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ? 2  For if a person with gold rings and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and if a poor person in dirty clothes also comes in, 3  and if you take notice of the one wearing the fine clothes and say, "Have a seat here, please," while to the one who is poor you say, "Stand there," or, "Sit at my feet," 4  have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts? 5  Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters. Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? 6  But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you? Is it not they who drag you into court? 7  Is it not they who blaspheme the excellent name that was invoked over you? 8  You do well if you really fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." 9  But if you show partiality, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10  For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it. 11  For the one who said, "You shall not commit adultery," also said, "You shall not murder." Now if you do not commit adultery but if you murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12  So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. 13  For judgment will be without mercy to anyone who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment. 14  What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? 15  If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, 16  and one of you says to them, "Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill," and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? 17 So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.

27  But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28  bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. 29  If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. 30  Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. 31  Do to others as you would have them do to you. 32  If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33  If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34  If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. 35  But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. 36  Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. 37  Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven; 38 give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back."

Philippians 4: 4 - 9 NRSV

Ecclesiastes 2: 1 - 11 NSRV

John 16: 12 - 15 NSRV