Bible Verses About Righteousness

By trusting, Hevel offered a greater sacrifice than Kayin; because of this, he was attested as righteous, with God giving him this testimony on the ground of his gifts. Through having trusted, he still continues to speak, even though he is dead.

who, through trusting, conquered kingdoms, worked righteousness, received what was promised, shut the mouths of lions,

Now, all discipline, while it is happening, does indeed seem painful, not enjoyable; but for those who have been trained by it, it later produces its peaceful fruit, which is righteousness.

The religious observance that God the Father considers pure and faultless is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being contaminated by the world.

What good is it, my brothers, if someone claims to have faith but has no actions to prove it? Is such “faith” able to save him?

Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food,

and someone says to him, “Shalom! Keep warm and eat hearty!” without giving him what he needs, what good does it do?

Thus, faith by itself, unaccompanied by actions, is dead.

But someone will say that you have faith and I have actions. Show me this faith of yours without the actions, and I will show you my faith by my actions!

You believe that “God is one”? Good for you! The demons believe it too — the thought makes them shudder with fear!

But, foolish fellow, do you want to be shown that such “faith” apart from actions is barren?

Wasn’t Avraham avinu declared righteous because of actions when he offered up his son Yitz’chak on the altar?

You see that his faith worked with his actions; by the actions the faith was made complete;

and the passage of the Tanakh was fulfilled which says, “Avraham had faith in God, and it was credited to his account as righteousness.” He was even called God’s friend.

You see that a person is declared righteous because of actions and not because of faith alone.

Likewise, wasn’t Rachav the prostitute also declared righteous because of actions when she welcomed the messengers and sent them out by another route?

Indeed, just as the body without a spirit is dead, so too faith without actions is dead.

A spring doesn’t send both fresh and bitter water from the same opening, does it?

Can a fig tree yield olives, my brothers? or a grapevine, figs? Neither does salt water produce fresh.

Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him demonstrate it by his good way of life, by actions done in the humility that grows out of wisdom.

But if you harbor in your hearts bitter jealousy and selfish ambition, don’t boast and attack the truth with lies!

This wisdom is not the kind that comes down from above; on the contrary, it is worldly, unspiritual, demonic.

For where there are jealousy and selfish ambition, there will be disharmony and every foul practice.

But the wisdom from above is, first of all, pure, then peaceful, kind, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.

And peacemakers who sow seed in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.