James 2:26

James 2:26 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
• New International Version (NIV)As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Context of James 2:26

24So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone. 25Rahab the prostitute is another example. She was shown to be right with God by her actions when she hid those messengers and sent them safely away by a different road. Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works.

James 2:26 word by word

ὥσπερ γὰρ τὸ σῶμα χωρὶς πνεύματος νεκρόν ἐστιν, οὕτως καὶ ἡ πίστις χωρὶς ἔργων νεκρά ἐστιν.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• asὥσπερhōsper · just asG5618
• the bodyὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the bodyσῶμαsōma · bodyG4983
• withoutχωρίςchōris · withoutG5565
• the spiritπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
• isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• deadνεκρόςnekros · deadG3498
• soοὕτωςhoutō · thus(-ly)G3779
• faithπίστιςpistis · faithG4102
• worksἔργονergon · workG2041
• alsoκαίkai · andG2532

Cross-references for James 2:26

• Job 34:14If God were to take back his spirit and withdraw his breath,
• Psalms 104:29But if you turn away from them, they panic. When you take away their breath, they die and turn again to dust.
• Psalms 146:4When they breathe their last, they return to the earth, and all their plans die with them.
• Ecclesiastes 12:7For then the dust will return to the earth, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.
• Isaiah 2:22Don’t put your trust in mere humans. They are as frail as breath. What good are they?
• Luke 23:46Then Jesus shouted, “Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!” And with those words he breathed his last.
• Acts 7:59As they stoned him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
• James 2:14What 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?

Commentaries on James 2:26

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 26For as the body without the spirit is dead - There can be no more a genuine faith without good works, than there can be a living human body without a soul. We shall never find a series of disinterested godly living without true faith. And we shall never find true faith without such a life. We may see works of apparent benevolence without faith; their principle is ostentation; and, as long as they can have the reward (human applause) which they seek, they…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 26For as the body without the spirit is dead - Margin, “breath.” The Greek word ́ pneumais commonly used to denote spirit or soul, as referring to the intelligent nature. The meaning here is the obvious one, that the body is animated or kept alive by the presence of the soul, and that when that is withdrawn, hope departs. The body has no life independent of the presence of the soul. So faith without works is dead also - There is as much necessity that faith…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. 26Good works are as essential to faith as breathing is to a body (Genesis 2:7). We need both together.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2626. Faith is a spiritual thing: works are material. Hence we might expect faith to answer to the spirit, works to the body. But James reverses this. He therefore does not mean that faith in all cases answers to the body; but the FORM of faith without the working reality answers to the body without the animating spirit. It does not follow that living faith derives its life from works, as the body derives its life from the animating spirit.Read the comment

Topics related to James 2:26

• Faith
• Hypocrisy
• Justification
• Man
• Religion
• Righteousness

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