16 These are the men who make trouble, ever desiring change, going after evil pleasures, using high-sounding words, respecting men's position in the hope of reward.
But every man is tested when he is turned out of the right way by the attraction of his desire. Then when its time comes, desire gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is of full growth, gives birth to death.
My brothers, if you have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ of glory, do not take a man's position into account. For if a man comes into your Synagogue in fair clothing and with a gold ring, and a poor man comes in with dirty clothing, And you do honour to the man in fair clothing and say, Come here and take this good place; and you say to the poor man, Take up your position there, or be seated at my feet; Is there not a division in your minds? have you not become judges with evil thoughts? Give ear, my dear brothers; are not those who are poor in the things of this world marked out by God to have faith as their wealth, and for their heritage the kingdom which he has said he will give to those who have love for him? But you have put the poor man to shame. Are not the men of wealth rulers over you? do they not take you by force before their judges? Do they not say evil of the holy name which was given to you? But if you keep the greatest law of all, as it is given in the holy Writings, Have love for your neighbour as for yourself, you do well: But if you take a man's position into account, you do evil, and are judged as evil-doers by the law.
But there were false prophets among the people, as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly put forward wrong teachings for your destruction, even turning away from the Lord who gave himself for them; whose destruction will come quickly, and they themselves will be the cause of it. And a great number will go with them in their evil ways, through whom the true way will have a bad name. And in their desire for profit they will come to you with words of deceit, like traders doing business in souls: whose punishment has been ready for a long time and their destruction is watching for them.
You have kept their hearts from wisdom: for this cause you will not give them honour. As for him who is false to his friend for a reward, light will be cut off from the eyes of his children.