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Showing faith

14 My brothers and sisters, what good is it if people say they have faith but do nothing to show it? Claiming to have faith can’t save anyone, can it? 15 Imagine a brother or sister who is naked and never has enough food to eat. 16 What if one of you said, “Go in peace! Stay warm! Have a nice meal!”? What good is it if you don’t actually give them what their body needs? 17 In the same way, faith is dead when it doesn’t result in faithful activity.

18 Someone might claim, “You have faith and I have action.” But how can I see your faith apart from your actions? Instead, I’ll show you my faith by putting it into practice in faithful action. 19 It’s good that you believe that God is one. Ha! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble with fear. 20 Are you so slow? Do you need to be shown that faith without actions has no value at all? 21 What about Abraham, our father? Wasn’t he shown to be righteous through his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 See, his faith was at work along with his actions. In fact, his faith was made complete by his faithful actions. 23 So the scripture was fulfilled that says, Abraham believed God, and God regarded him as righteous.[a] What is more, Abraham was called God’s friend. 24 So you see that a person is shown to be righteous through faithful actions and not through faith alone. 25 In the same way, wasn’t Rahab the prostitute shown to be righteous when she received the messengers as her guests and then sent them on by another road? 26 As the lifeless body is dead, so faith without actions is dead.

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Notas al pie

  1. James 2:23 Gen 15:6

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)

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Notas al pie

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

Faith and Works Together

14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters,[a] if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? Can this kind of faith[b] save him?[c] 15 If a brother or sister[d] is poorly clothed and lacks daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm and eat well,” but you do not give them what the body needs,[e] what good is it? 17 So also faith, if it does not have works, is dead being by itself. 18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.”[f] Show me your faith without works and I will show you faith by[g] my works. 19 You believe that God is one; well and good.[h] Even the demons believe that—and tremble with fear.[i]

20 But would you like evidence,[j] you empty fellow,[k] that faith without works is useless?[l] 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 You see that his faith was working together with his works and his faith was perfected by works. 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Now Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness,”[m] and he was called God’s friend.[n] 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 And similarly, was not Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she welcomed the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.

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Notas al pie

  1. James 2:14 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:2.
  2. James 2:14 tn Grk “the faith,” referring to the kind of faith just described: faith without works. The article here is anaphoric, referring to the previous mention of the noun πίστις (pistis) in the verse. See ExSyn 219.
  3. James 2:14 sn The form of the question in Greek expects a negative answer.
  4. James 2:15 tn It is important to note that the words ἀδελφός (adelphos) and ἀδελφή (adelphē) both occur in the Greek text at this point, confirming that the author intended to refer to both men and women. See the note on “someone” in 2:2.
  5. James 2:16 tn Grk “what is necessary for the body.”
  6. James 2:18 tn There is considerable doubt about where the words of the “someone” end and where James’ reply begins. Some see the quotation running to the end of v. 18; others to the end of v. 19. But most punctuate as shown above. The “someone” is then an objector, and the sense of his words is something like, “Some have faith; others have works; don’t expect everyone to have both.” James’ reply is that faith cannot exist or be seen without works.
  7. James 2:18 tn Or “from.”
  8. James 2:19 tn Grk “you do well.”
  9. James 2:19 tn Grk “believe and tremble.” The words “with fear” are implied.
  10. James 2:20 tn Grk “do you want to know.”
  11. James 2:20 tn Grk “O empty man.” Here the singular vocative ἄνθρωπε (anthrōpe, “man”) means “person” or even “fellow.” Cf. BDAG 82 s.v. ἄνθρωπος 8 which views this as an instance of rhetorical address in a letter; the pejorative sense is also discussed under the previous heading (7).
  12. James 2:20 tc Most witnesses, including several significant ones (א A C2 P Ψ 5 33 81 436 442 1611 1735 1852 2344 2492 M al sy bo), have νεκρά (nekra, “dead”) here, while P74 reads κενή (kenē, “empty”). Both variants are most likely secondary, derived from ἀργή (argē, “useless”). The reading of the majority is probably an assimilation to the statements in vv. 17 and 26, while P74’s reading picks up on κενέ (kene) earlier in the verse. The external evidence (B C* 323 945 1175 1243 1739 sa) for ἀργή is sufficient for authenticity; coupled with the strong internal evidence for the reading (if νεκρά were original, how would ἀργή have arisen here and not in vv. 17 or 26?), it is strongly preferred.
  13. James 2:23 sn A quotation from Gen 15:6.
  14. James 2:23 sn An allusion to 2 Chr 20:7; Isa 41:8; 51:2; Dan 3:35 (LXX), in which Abraham is called God’s “beloved.”

Faith without Works Is Dead

14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? Surely that faith cannot save, can it?(A) 15 If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food(B) 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,” and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? 17 So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.

18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from works, and I by my works will show you faith.(C) 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder.(D) 20 Do you want to be shown, you senseless person, that faith apart from works is worthless?[a] 21 Was not our ancestor Abraham justified by works when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?(E) 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and by works faith was brought to completion.(F) 23 Thus the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,”[b] and he was called the friend of God.(G) 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 Likewise, was not Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she welcomed the messengers[c] and sent them out by another road?(H) 26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is also dead.

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Notas al pie

  1. 2.20 Other ancient authorities read dead or empty
  2. 2.23 Or justice
  3. 2.25 Other ancient authorities read spies

14 What [is] the profit, my brethren, if faith, any one may speak of having, and works he may not have? is that faith able to save him?

15 and if a brother or sister may be naked, and may be destitute of the daily food,

16 and any one of you may say to them, `Depart ye in peace, be warmed, and be filled,' and may not give to them the things needful for the body, what [is] the profit?

17 so also the faith, if it may not have works, is dead by itself.

18 But say may some one, Thou hast faith, and I have works, shew me thy faith out of thy works, and I will shew thee out of my works my faith:

19 thou -- thou dost believe that God is one; thou dost well, and the demons believe, and they shudder!

20 And dost thou wish to know, O vain man, that the faith apart from the works is dead?

21 Abraham our father -- was not he declared righteous out of works, having brought up Isaac his son upon the altar?

22 dost thou see that the faith was working with his works, and out of the works the faith was perfected?

23 and fulfilled was the Writing that is saying, `And Abraham did believe God, and it was reckoned to him -- to righteousness;' and, `Friend of God' he was called.

24 Ye see, then, that out of works is man declared righteous, and not out of faith only;

25 and in like manner also Rahab the harlot -- was she not out of works declared righteous, having received the messengers, and by another way having sent forth?

26 for as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also the faith apart from the works is dead.

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