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.
Parallel translations
- WEB Yes, a man will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without works, and I by my works will show you my faith.
- 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.
- NKJV But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
- NASB But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”
- NLT Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
James answers an objector by insisting that faith can only be demonstrated through works. Invisible faith without works cannot be shown to be real.
Overview
James engages a hypothetical interlocutor who would separate faith from works. His reply is that faith cannot be displayed apart from the deeds it produces; works are the visible evidence of inward faith. This reinforces that genuine, saving faith and obedient action belong together and cannot be divided in practice.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 19
- Jas 3:13Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good conduct, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.
- Jas 2:14What good is it, my brothers, if someone claims to have faith, but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?
- 1 Tim 1:5The goal of our instruction is the love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and a sincere faith.
- Gal 5:6For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. All that matters is faith, expressed through love.
- Titus 2:11–14For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to everyone.
- Titus 2:7In everything, show yourself to be an example by doing good works. In your teaching show integrity, dignity,
- Rom 14:23But the one who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and everything that is not from faith is sin.
- 1 Th 1:3–10and continually recalling before our God and Father your work of faith, your labor of love, and your enduring hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
- Matt 7:16–17By their fruit you will recognize them. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
- Heb 11:31By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies in peace, did not perish with those who were disobedient.
- Heb 11:33who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions,
- Rom 3:28For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the law.
- Heb 11:6And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who approaches Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.
- 1 Cor 13:2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have absolute faith so as to move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
- Jas 2:22–25You see that his faith was working with his actions, and his faith was perfected by what he did.
- 2 Cor 5:17Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come!
- Rom 8:1Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
- 2 Cor 7:1Therefore, beloved, since we have these promises, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that defiles body and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
- Rom 4:6And David speaks likewise of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:
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Christ at the center
The wisdom from above and the royal law of love are the life of those who belong to 'our glorious Lord Jesus Christ' — faith in him made visible in works.
How James 2:18 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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