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

12So speak, and so act, as those who are to be judged by the law of freedom. 13For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment. What use is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone says he has faith, but he has no works? Can that faith save him? 15If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, 16and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use 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
• useὄφελοςophelos · gainG3786
• my brothersἀδελφόςadelphos · brotherG80
• ifἐάνean · ifG1437
• someoneτιςtis · oneG5100
• saysλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• he hasἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• faithπίστιςpistis · faithG4102
• noμήmē · notG3361
• worksἔργονergon · workG2041
• Canδύναμαιdunamai · be ableG1410
• saveσῴζωsōzō · to saveG4982

Cross-references for James 2:14

• James 2:16and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that?
• Jeremiah 7:8“Behold, you are trusting in deceptive words to no avail.
• Romans 2:25For indeed circumcision is of value if you practice the Law; but if you are a violator of the Law, your circumcision has turned into uncircumcision.
• 1 Corinthians 13:3And if I give away all my possessions to charity, and if I surrender my body so that I may glory, but do not have love, it does me no good.
• 1 Timothy 4:8for bodily training is just slightly beneficial, but godliness is beneficial for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.
• Hebrews 13:9Do not be misled by varied and strange teachings; for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, through which those who were so occupied were not benefited.
• James 2:18But 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.”
• James 1:22But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not just hearers who deceive themselves.
• Matthew 5:20“For I say to you that unless your righteousness far surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not 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 will enter.
• Luke 6:49But the one who has heard and has not acted accordingly is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation; and the river burst against it and it immediately collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great.”
• Acts 8:13Now even Simon himself believed; and after being baptized, he continued on with Philip, and as he observed signs and great miracles taking place, he was repeatedly amazed.
• Acts 15:9and He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith.
• 1 Corinthians 13:2If I have the gift of prophecy and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.
• 1 Corinthians 16:22If anyone does not love the Lord, he is to be accursed. Maranatha!
• Galatians 5:6For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but 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