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James 2:14-26
English Standard Version
James 2:14-26
English Standard Version
Faith Without Works Is Dead
14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith (A)but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 (B)If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 (C)and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good[a] is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith (D)apart from your works, and I will show you my faith (E)by my works. 19 (F)You believe that God is one; you do well. Even (G)the demons believe—and shudder! 20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? 21 (H)Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that (I)faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed (J)by his works; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, (K)“Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a (L)friend of God. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 And in the same way was not also (M)Rahab the prostitute justified by works (N)when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.
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- James 2:16 Or benefit
James 2:14-26
New International Version
James 2:14-26
New International Version
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)
Footnotes
- James 2:20 Some early manuscripts dead
- James 2:23 Gen. 15:6
James 2:14-26
21st Century King James Version
James 2:14-26
21st Century King James Version
14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and hath not works? Can faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister be naked and destitute of daily food,
16 and one of you say unto them, “Depart in peace; be ye warmed and filled,” without giving them those things which are needful to the body, what doth it profit?
17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
18 Yea, a man may say, “Thou hast faith, and I have works.” Show me thy faith apart from thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works.
19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well. The devils also 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 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?
23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which saith, “Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness”; and he was called the friend of God.
24 Ye see then how by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
25 Likewise also, was not Rahab the harlot justified by works when she had received the messengers and had sent them out another way?
26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
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James 2:14-26
New American Standard Bible
James 2:14-26
New American Standard Bible
Faith and Works
14 (A)What use is it, (B)my brothers and sisters, if someone says he has faith, but he has no works? Can [a]that faith save him? 15 (C)If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “(D)Go in peace, [b]be warmed and be filled,” yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? 17 In the same way, (E)faith also, if it has no works, is [c]dead, being by itself.
18 (F)But someone [d]may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your (G)faith without the works, and I will (H)show you my faith (I)by my works.” 19 You believe that [e](J)God is one. (K)You do well; (L)the demons also believe, and shudder. 20 But are you willing to acknowledge, (M)you foolish person, that (N)faith without works is useless? 21 (O)Was our father Abraham not justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that (P)faith was working with his works, and [f]as a result of the (Q)works, faith was [g]perfected; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “(R)And Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called a (S)friend of God. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 In the same way, was (T)Rahab the prostitute not justified by works also (U)when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also (V)faith without works is dead.
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- James 2:14 Lit the
- James 2:16 Or warm yourselves and fill yourselves
- James 2:17 Or dead by its own standards
- James 2:18 Lit will
- James 2:19 One early ms there is one God
- James 2:22 Or by the deeds
- James 2:22 Or completed
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
21st Century King James Version (KJ21)
Copyright © 1994 by Deuel Enterprises, Inc.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) 
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.