James 2:10-26

English Standard Version

¹⁰ For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point ^(A)has become guilty of all of it. ¹¹ For he who said, ^(B)“Do not commit adultery,” also said, ^(C)“Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. ¹² So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under ^(D)the law of liberty. ¹³ For ^(E)judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

Faith Without Works Is Dead

¹⁴ What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith ^(F)but does not have works? Can that faith save him? ^15 (G)If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, ^16 (H)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 ^(I)apart from your works, and I will show you my faith ^(J)by my works. ^19 (K)You believe that God is one; you do well. Even ^(L)the demons believe—and shudder! ²⁰ Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? ^21 (M)Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? ²² You see that ^(N)faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed ^(O)by his works; ²³ and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, ^(P)“Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a ^(Q)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 ^(R)Rahab the prostitute justified by works ^(S)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.