James 2:15

James 2:15 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
• New International Version (NIV)Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food.
• English Standard Version (ESV)If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food,
• New King James Version (NKJV)If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food,

Context of James 2:15

13For judgment is without mercy to the one who has not shown mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. 14What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? Can such faith save him? If a brother or sister is without clothes and lacks daily food 16and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, stay warm, and be well fed,” but you don’t give them what the body needs, what good is it? 17In the same way faith, if it does not have works, is dead by itself.

James 2:15 word by word

ἐὰν ἀδελφὸς ἢ ἀδελφὴ γυμνοὶ ὑπάρχωσιν καὶ λειπόμενοι ὦσιν τῆς ἐφημέρου τροφῆς,Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• ·δέde · thenG1161
• Ifἐάνean · ifG1437
• a brotherἀδελφόςadelphos · brotherG80
• orἤē · orG2228
• sisterἀδελφήadelphē · sisterG79
• beὑπάρχωhuparchō · be alreadyG5225
• nakedγυμνόςgumnos · nakedG1131
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• destituteλείπωleipō · to lackG3007
• ·εἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• of dailyἐφήμεροςephēmeros · dailyG2184
• foodτροφήtrophē · foodG5160

Cross-references for James 2:15

• James 2:5Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Didn’t God choose the poor in this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him?
• Job 31:16If I have refused the wishes of the poor or let the widow’s eyes go blind,
• Isaiah 58:7Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, to bring the poor and homeless into your house, to clothe the naked when you see him, and not to ignore your own flesh and blood?
• Ezekiel 18:7He doesn’t oppress anyone but returns his collateral to the debtor. He does not commit robbery, but gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing.
• Matthew 25:35“‘For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink; I was a stranger and you took me in;
• Mark 14:7You always have the poor with you, and you can do what is good for them whenever you want, but you do not always have me.
• Luke 3:11He replied to them, “The one who has two shirts must share with someone who has none, and the one who has food must do the same.”
• Acts 9:29He conversed and debated with the Hellenistic Jews, but they tried to kill him.
• Hebrews 11:37They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they died by the sword, they wandered about in sheepskins, in goatskins, destitute, afflicted, and mistreated.

Commentaries on James 2:15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15If a brother or sister be naked - That is, ill-clothed; for , naked, has this meaning in several parts of the New Testament, signifying bad clothing, or the want of some particular article of dress. See Matthew 25:36, Matthew 25:38, Matthew 25:43, Matthew 25:44, and John 21:7. It has the same comparative signification in most languages.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15-17Verses 15-17 If a brother or sister be naked … - The comparison in these verses is very obvious and striking. The sense is, that faith in itself, without the acts that correspond to it, and to which it would prompt, is as cold, and heartless, and unmeaning, and useless, as it would be to say to one who was destitute of the necessaries of life, depart in peace.” In itself considered, it might seem to have something that was good; but it would answer none…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. 15-16Suppose: In 2:2–4, James gives an example of "faith" that is useless. without clothes and daily food: In first-century Palestine and the Roman world, many people who were poor lacked basic needs. stay warm and well-fed: This probably assumes that God will provide for the poor. The speaker might think that believing it will happen is enough. But without action, it is just an empty hope.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1515. The Greek is, "But if," &c.: the "But" taking up the argument against such a one as "said he had faith, and yet had not works," which are its fruits. a brother, &c.--a fellow Christian, to whom we are specially bound to give help, independent of our general obligation to help all our fellow creatures. be--The Greek implies, "be found, on your access to them."Read the comment

Topics related to James 2:15

• Beneficence
• Faith
• Hypocrisy
• Poor
• Religion
• Righteousness
• Selfishness
• Works

In the dictionaries

• Convince
• Dead
• Draw
• Justify
• Naked
• Offend
• Poor
• Respect
• Rich
• Sister

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