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?
• 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?
• New Living Translation (NLT)What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone?

Context of James 2:14

12So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. 13For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• Whatτίςtis · which?G5101
• profitὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• profitὄφελοςophelos · gainG3786
• myἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• brethrenἀδελφόςadelphos · brotherG80
• thoughἐάνean · ifG1437
• a manτιςtis · oneG5100
• sayλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• he hathἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• faithπίστιςpistis · faithG4102
• andδέde · thenG1161
• notμήmē · notG3361
• worksἔργονergon · workG2041
• canδύναμαιdunamai · be ableG1410
• saveσῴζωsōzō · to saveG4982
• himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846

Cross-references for James 2:14

• James 2:16and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?
• Jeremiah 7:8"Behold, you trust in deceptive words to no avail.
• Romans 2:25For circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision.
• 1 Corinthians 13:3If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.
• 1 Timothy 4:8for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.
• Hebrews 13:9Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them.
• James 2:18But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
• James 1:22But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
• Matthew 5:20For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
• Matthew 7:21"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
• Luke 6:49But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great."
• Acts 8:13Even Simon himself believed, and after being baptized he continued with Philip. And seeing signs and great miracles performed, he was amazed.
• Acts 15:9and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith.
• 1 Corinthians 13:2And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
• 1 Corinthians 16:22If anyone has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed. Our Lord, come!
• Galatians 5:6For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working 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