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James 2:14-26
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
James 2:14-26
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
Faith without Works Is Dead
14 What does it profit, my brethren, if a man says he has faith but has not works? Can his faith save him?[a] 15 If a brother or sister is ill-clad and in lack of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.
18 But some one will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder. 20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish fellow, that faith apart from works is barren? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he offered his son Isaac upon the altar? 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by works, 23 and the scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness”; and he was called the friend of God. 24 You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 And in the same way was not also Rahab the harlot justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? 26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so faith apart from works is dead.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 2.14 Good works are necessary besides faith.
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
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)
The Revised Standard Version of the Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1965, 1966 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
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