James 2:19

James 2:19 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
• New International Version (NIV)You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
• English Standard Version (ESV)You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!
• New King James Version (NKJV)You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!

Context of James 2:19

17Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. 18But, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the demons also believe, and tremble. 20But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? 21Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?

James 2:19 word by word

σὺ πιστεύεις ὅτι εἷς ἐστιν ὁ θεός· καλῶς ποιεῖς· καὶ τὰ δαιμόνια πιστεύουσιν καὶ φρίσσουσιν.Read the interlinear

• Thouσύsu · youG4771
• believestπιστεύωpisteuō · to trust (in)G4100
• thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• isἐστίesti · he isG2076
• oneεἷςheis · oneG1520
• Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• doestποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
• wellκαλῶςkalōs · wellG2573
• demonsδαιμόνιονdaimonion · demonG1140
• alsoκαίkai · andG2532
• trembleφρίσσωphrissō · to shudderG5425

Cross-references for James 2:19

• Deuteronomy 6:4Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:
• Isaiah 43:10Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.
• Isaiah 44:6Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and besides me there is no God.
• Isaiah 45:6That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none besides me. I am the LORD, and there is none else.
• Isaiah 46:9Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,
• Zechariah 14:9And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.
• Mark 12:29And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
• John 17:3And this is life eternal, that they may know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
• Romans 3:30Seeing it is one God, who shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.
• 1 Corinthians 8:4Therefore as concerning the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one.
• Galatians 3:20Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one.
• Ephesians 4:5One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
• 1 Timothy 2:5For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
• Jude 1:4For certain men have crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
• James 2:8If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:
• Jonah 4:4Then said the LORD, Doest thou well to be angry?

Commentaries on James 2:19

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 19Thou believest that there is one God - This is the faith in which these persons put their hope of pleasing God, and of obtaining eternal life. Believing in the being and unity of God distinguished them from all the nations of the world; and having been circumcised, and thus brought into the covenant, they thought themselves secure of salvation. The insufficiency of this St. James immediately shows. The devils also believe, and tremble - It is well to…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 19Thou believest that there is one God - One of the great and cardinal doctrines of religion is here selected as an illustration of all. The design of the apostle seems to have been to select one of the doctrines of religion, the belief of which would - if mere belief in any doctrine could - save the soul; and to show that even this might be held as an article of faith by those who could be supposed by no one to have any claim to the name of Christian. He…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. 19that God is one (or there is one God): This is the core belief of Israel's faith (see Deuteronomy 6:4). the demons believe: They know there is one God, and he is their enemy (Mark 1:24).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1919. Thou--emphatic. Thou self-deceiving claimant to faith without works. that there is one God--rather, "that God is one": God's existence, however, is also asserted. The fundamental article of the creed of Jews and Christians alike, and the point of faith on which especially the former boasted themselves, as distinguishing them from the Gentiles, and hence adduced by James here. thou doest well--so far good. But unless thy faith goes farther than an…Read the comment

Topics related to James 2:19

• Demons
• Faith
• Fear of God
• Hypocrisy
• Religion
• Righteousness
• Works

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Convince
• Daemon
• Dead
• Draw
• Justify
• Offend
• Respect
• Rich

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