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 Living Translation (NLT)Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing,

Context of James 2:15

13For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. 14What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

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 beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?
• Job 31:16“If I have kept the poor from their desire, Or caused the eyes of the widow to fail,
• Isaiah 58:7Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; When you see the naked, that you cover him, And not hide yourself from your own flesh?
• Ezekiel 18:7If he has not oppressed anyone, But has restored to the debtor his pledge; Has robbed no one by violence, But has given his bread to the hungry And covered the naked with clothing;
• Matthew 25:35for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in;
• Mark 14:7For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not have always.
• Luke 3:11He answered and said to them, “He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise.”
• Acts 9:29And he spoke boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus and disputed against the Hellenists, but they attempted to kill him.
• Hebrews 11:37They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented—

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