Add parallel Print Page Options

14 What [is] the profit, my brethren, if any one say he have faith, but have not works? can faith save him?

15 Now if a brother or a sister is naked and destitute of daily food,

16 and one from amongst you say to them, Go in peace, be warmed and filled; but give not to them the needful things for the body, what [is] the profit?

17 So also faith, if it have not works, is dead by itself.

18 But some one will say, *Thou* hast faith and *I* have works. Shew me thy faith without works, and *I* from my works will shew thee my faith.

19 *Thou* believest that God is one. Thou doest well. The demons even believe, and tremble.

20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?

22 Thou seest that faith wrought with his works, and that by works faith was perfected.

23 And the scripture was fulfilled which says, Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness, and he was called Friend of God.

24 Ye see that a man is justified on the principle of works, and not on the principle of faith only.

25 But was not in like manner also Rahab the harlot justified on the principle of works, when she had received the messengers and put [them] forth by another way?

26 For as the body without a spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.

Read full chapter

Faith and Deeds

14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds?(A) Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food.(B) 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?(C) 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.(D)

18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”

Show me your faith without deeds,(E) and I will show you my faith(F) by my deeds.(G) 19 You believe that there is one God.(H) Good! Even the demons believe that(I)—and shudder.

20 You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless[a]?(J) 21 Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?(K) 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together,(L) and his faith was made complete by what he did.(M) 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,”[b](N) and he was called God’s friend.(O) 24 You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.

25 In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?(P) 26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.(Q)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. James 2:20 Some early manuscripts dead
  2. James 2:23 Gen. 15:6