New King James Version
James 2:18
18But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
James 2:18 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
- New International Version (NIV)But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.
- English Standard Version (ESV)But 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.”
Context of James 2:18
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. But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! 20But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?
Read all of James 2James 2:18 word by word
Ἀλλ᾽ ἐρεῖ τις· σὺ πίστιν ἔχεις, κἀγὼ ἔργα ἔχω· δεῖξόν μοι τὴν πίστιν σου χωρὶς τῶν ἔργων κἀγώ σοι δείξω ἐκ τῶν ἔργων μου τὴν πίστινRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Yeaἀλλάalla · butG235
- a manτιςtis · oneG5100
- may sayἐρῶereō · to sayG2046
- Thouσύsu · youG4771
- hastἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
- faithπίστιςpistis · faithG4102
- and Iκἀγώkagō kamoi kame · and IG2504
- worksἔργονergon · workG2041
- shewδεικνύωdeiknuō · to showG1166
- meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- faithὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- withoutἐκek ex · out fromG1537
Cross-references for James 2:18
- James 2:14What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?
- Romans 14:23But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.
- 1 Corinthians 13:2And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
- Galatians 5:6For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.
- Hebrews 11:6But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
- James 2:22Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?
- James 3:13Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom.
- Matthew 7:17Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.
- Romans 8:1There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
- 2 Corinthians 5:17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
- 2 Corinthians 7:1Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
- 1 Thessalonians 1:3remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father,
- 1 Timothy 1:5Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith,
Commentaries on James 2:18
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18Show me thy faith without thy works - Your pretending to have faith, while you have no works of charity or mercy, is utterly vain: for as faith, which is a principle in the mind, cannot be discerned but by the effects, that is, good works; he who has no good works has, presumptively, no faith. I will show thee my faith by my works - My works of charity and mercy will show that I have faith; and that it is the living tree, whose root is love to God and…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18Yea, a man may say - The word which is rendered “yea” ( ̓̀ alla) would be better rendered by “but.” The apostle designs to introduce an objection, not to make an affirmation. The sense is, “some one might say,” or, “to this it might be urged in reply.” That is, it might perhaps be said that religion is not always manifested in the same way, or we should not suppose that, because it is not always exhibited in the same form, it does not exist. One man may…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. 18-19James shows that believing something is true without acting on it is pointless. But someone will say: James offers another diatribe (see study note on 1:13). He introduces a possible argument someone might make. The imaginary person argues that different Christians might have different gifts—one person might have the gift of faith while another has the gift of works (see 1 Corinthians 12:7–9).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1818. "But some one will say": so the Greek. This verse continues the argument from Jas 2:14, 16. One may say he has faith though he have not works. Suppose one were to say to a naked brother, "Be warmed," without giving him needful clothing. "But someone (entertaining views of the need of faith having works joined to it) will say (in opposition to the 'say' of the professor)." show me thy faith without thy works--if thou canst; but thou canst not SHOW…Read the comment
Topics related to James 2:18
In the dictionaries
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries