James 2:14

James 2:14 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
• New International Version (NIV)What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?
• English Standard Version (ESV)What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?
• New King James Version (NKJV)What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?

Context of James 2:14

12Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom. 13For judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment. What good is it, my brothers, if someone claims to have faith, but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16If 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?

James 2:14 word by word

Τί τὸ ὄφελος, ἀδελφοί μου, ἐὰν πίστιν λέγῃ τις ἔχειν, ἔργα δὲ μὴ ἔχῃ; μὴ δύναται ἡ πίστις σῶσαι αὐτόν;Read the interlinear

• Whatτίςtis · which?G5101
• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• goodὄφελοςophelos · gainG3786
• myἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• brothersἀδελφόςadelphos · brotherG80
• ifἐάνean · ifG1437
• someoneτιςtis · oneG5100
• claimsλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• to haveἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• faithπίστιςpistis · faithG4102
• butδέde · thenG1161
• noμήmē · notG3361
• deedsἔργονergon · workG2041
• Canδύναμαιdunamai · be ableG1410
• saveσῴζωsōzō · to saveG4982
• himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846

Cross-references for James 2:14

• James 2:16If 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?
• Jeremiah 7:8But look, you keep trusting in deceptive words to no avail.
• Romans 2:25Circumcision has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.
• 1 Corinthians 13:3If I give all I possess to the poor and exult in the surrender of my body, but have not love, I gain nothing.
• 1 Timothy 4:8For physical exercise is of limited value, but godliness is valuable in every way, holding promise for the present life and for the one to come.
• Hebrews 13:9Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace and not by foods of no value to those devoted to them.
• James 2:18But 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.
• James 1:22Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves.
• Matthew 5:20For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
• Matthew 7:21Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
• Luke 6:49But the one who hears My words and does not act on them is like a man who built his house on ground without a foundation. The torrent crashed against that house, and immediately it fell—and great was its destruction!”
• Acts 8:13Even Simon himself believed and was baptized. He followed Philip closely and was astounded by the great signs and miracles he observed.
• Acts 15:9He made no distinction between us and them, for He cleansed their hearts by faith.
• 1 Corinthians 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.
• 1 Corinthians 16:22If anyone does not love the Lord, let him be under a curse. Come, O Lord!
• Galatians 5:6For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. What matters is faith expressing itself through love.

Commentaries on James 2:14

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 14What doth it profit - though a man say he hath faith - We now come to a part of this epistle which has appeared to some eminent men to contradict other portions of the Divine records. In short, it has been thought that James teaches the doctrine of justification by the merit of good works, while Paul asserts this to be insufficient, and that man is justified by faith. Luther, supposing that James did actually teach the doctrine of justification by works…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 14What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith? - The apostle here returns to the subject adverted to in James 1:22-27, the importance of a practical attention to the duties of religion, and the assurance that men cannot be saved by a mere speculative opinion, or merely by holding correct sentiments. He doubtless had in his eye those who abused the doctrine of justification by faith, by holding that good works are unnecessary to…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 14-26Verses 14-26 Those are wrong who put a mere notional belief of the gospel for the whole of evangelical religion, as many now do. No doubt, true faith alone, whereby men have part in Christ's righteousness, atonement, and grace, saves their souls; but it produces holy fruits, and is shown to be real by its effect on their works; while mere assent to any form of doctrine, or mere historical belief of any facts, wholly differs from this saving faith. A bare…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 14If someone claims to have faith: James writes to Christians to urge them to actions that come from true faith. Paul teaches the same thing (see, for example, Galatians 5:6). But he often criticizes those who rely on actions to define their relationship with God (Romans 3:20, 28; 4:3–5; Galatians 2:16; 3:1–14).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1414. James here, passing from the particular case of "mercy" or "love" violated by "respect of persons," notwithstanding profession of the "faith of our Lord Jesus" (Jas 2:1), combats the Jewish tendency (transplanted into their Christianity) to substitute a lifeless, inoperative acquaintance with the letter of the law, for change of heart to practical holiness, as if justification could be thereby attained (Ro 2:3, 13, 23). It seems hardly likely but that…Read the comment

Topics related to James 2:14

• Faith
• Hypocrisy
• Religion
• Righteousness
• Vanity
• Works

In the dictionaries

• Convince
• Dead
• Draw
• Justify
• Offend
• Respect
• Rich
• Sister
• Faith
• Justification

Commentaries on James 2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings