JAS 2:14-26

Faith and Works

14What benefit is it, my brothers, if someone claims to have faith but has no works? Can that faith save him?

15If a brother or sister is without clothing and lacking daily food,

16and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and be filled" — yet you do not give them what the body needs — what benefit is that?

17So also faith, if it has no works, is dead in itself.

18But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

19You believe that God is one — you do well. Even the demons believe this, and shudder.

20Do you want to know, you empty person, that faith apart from works is useless?

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

22You see that faith was working together with his works, and by the works his faith was brought to completion.

23And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness" — and he was called the friend of God.

24You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.

25And in the same way, was not Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by a different way?

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

In the world it was spoken into

In the 1st-century Greco-Roman world, patronage and reciprocity were central to social relationships. Wealthy patrons were expected to provide material support to their dependents, and failure to do so was a breach of social honor. James’s audience, likely a mix of Jewish and Gentile believers in urban settings, would have understood the stark contrast between empty words and tangible acts of care. The mention of a brother or sister being (poorly clothed) and lacking (daily food) highlights the immediate, visible needs of the vulnerable. In this context, merely wishing someone well without providing for their physical needs would have been seen as hollow and dishonorable. James’s argument that faith without works is dead aligns with the Jewish emphasis on righteous action (mitzvot) and the Greco-Roman expectation of practical benevolence. The audience would have recognized the call to integrate belief with concrete acts of compassion, reflecting the communal ethos of early Christian communities.

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How other translations render this

JAS 2:14

KJV: What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
BSB: What good is it, my brothers, if someone claims to have faith, but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?
Koinōnos: What benefit is it, my brothers, if someone claims to have faith but has no works? Can that faith save him?

JAS 2:15

KJV: If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
BSB: Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.
Koinōnos: If a brother or sister is without clothing and lacking daily food,

JAS 2:16

KJV: And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
BSB: If one of you tells him, “Go in peace; stay warm and well fed,” but does not provide for his physical needs, what good is that?
Koinōnos: and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and be filled" — yet you do not give them what the body needs — what benefit is that?

JAS 2:17

KJV: Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
BSB: So too, faith by itself, if it does not result in action, is dead.
Koinōnos: So also faith, if it has no works, is dead in itself.

JAS 2:18

KJV: Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
BSB: But someone will say, “You have faith and I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.
Koinōnos: But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

JAS 2:19

KJV: Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
BSB: You believe that God is one. Good for you! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
Koinōnos: You believe that God is one — you do well. Even the demons believe this, and shudder.

JAS 2:20

KJV: But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
BSB: O foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is worthless?
Koinōnos: Do you want to know, you empty person, that faith apart from works is useless?

JAS 2:21

KJV: Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
BSB: Was not our father Abraham justified by what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?
Koinōnos: Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?

JAS 2:22

KJV: Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
BSB: You see that his faith was working with his actions, and his faith was perfected by what he did.
Koinōnos: You see that faith was working together with his works, and by the works his faith was brought to completion.

JAS 2:23

KJV: 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.
BSB: And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called a friend of God.
Koinōnos: And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness" — and he was called the friend of God.

JAS 2:24

KJV: Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
BSB: As you can see, a man is justified by his deeds and not by faith alone.
Koinōnos: You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.

JAS 2:25

KJV: Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
BSB: In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute justified by her actions when she welcomed the spies and sent them off on another route?
Koinōnos: And in the same way, was not Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by a different way?

JAS 2:26

KJV: For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
BSB: As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
Koinōnos: For just as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.

Translator's notes

JAS 2:15

a sister:The word translated 'a sister' here is literally 'naked' or 'poorly clothed.' It emphasizes the extreme vulnerability and lack of basic necessities for this person.
they may be:The term used here for 'they may be' carries the sense of something that lasts only for a day or is short-lived. It highlights the fleeting nature of their current state.

JAS 2:16

do be warmed:The phrase 'do be warmed' uses a word that means to heat or warm oneself, often implying a physical act of getting warm, not just a wish.
do be filled,:The word translated 'do be filled' originally referred to feeding animals until they were satisfied, often to the point of being stuffed. It implies a complete and abundant provision.