James 2

James · Chapter 2

James 2:15

1My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.2For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;3And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:4Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?5Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?6But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?7Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?8If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:9But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.10For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.11For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.12So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.13For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.14What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?15If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,16And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?17Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.18Yea, 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.19Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils 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?22Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?23And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.24Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.25Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?26For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
15If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.If a brother or sister be naked and in lack of daily food,

In context

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James 2:14-26Faith without works is dead

About James 2James warns against favouring a rich man with "a gold ring" over "a poor man in vile raiment," for God has "chosen the poor of this world rich in faith," and respect of persons breaks "the royal law according to the scripture," to love one's neighbour as oneself. He asks what it profits if "a man say he hath faith, and have not works," and says, "faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone." Abraham and Rahab were "justified by works," and "as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." James 2:1James 2:2James 2:5James 2:8James 2:9James 2:14James 2:17James 2:21James 2:25James 2:26James overview

Who, where and when in this chapter

Original Greek words

EnglishGreekSay itStrong'sMeaning
Now ifἐὰνeanG1437
if

ἐάν (ean) ἐάν, contr. fr. εἰ ἄν, conditional particle, representing something as "under certain circumstances actual or liable to happen," but not so definitely expected as in the case of εἰ with ind. (Bl., §65, 4; cf. Jhn.13:17, 1Co.7:36), if haply, if; 1. with subjc. (cl.); (a) pres.: Mat.6:22, Luk.10:6, Jhn.7:17, Rom.2:25, 26 al.; { (b) aor. (= Lat. fut. pf.): Mat.4:9 16:26 (cf. ptcp. in Luk.9:25; M, Pr., 230), Mrk.3:24, Luk.14:34, Jhn.5:43, Rom.7:2, al.; = cl. εἰ, with opt., Jhn.9:22 11:57, Act.9:2; as Heb. אִם = ὅταν, Jhn.12:32 14:3, I Jhn.2:28 3:2, Heb.3:7" (LXX) . …

nowδὲdeG1161
then

δέ (de) δέ (before vowels δ᾽; on the general neglect of the elision in NT, see WH, App., 146; Tdf., Pr., 96), post-positive conjunctive particle; 1. copulative, but, in the next place, and, now (Abbott, JG, 104): Mat.1:2ff., 2Co.6:15, 16, 2Pe.1:5-7; in repetition for emphasis, Rom.3:21, 22, 9:30, 1Co.2:6, Gal.2:2, Php.2:8; in transition to something new, Mat.1:18, 2:19, Luk.13:1, Jhn.7:14, Act.6:1, Rom.8:28, 1Co.7:1 8:1, al.; in explanatory parenthesis or addition, Jhn.3:19, Rom.5:8, 1Co.1:12, Eph.2:4, 5:32, al.; ὡς δέ, Jhn.2:9; καὶ . . . δέ, but also, Mat.10:18, Luk.1:76, Jhn.6:51, Rom.11:23, al.; …

a brotherἀδελφὸςadelphosG0080
brother

ἀδελφός (adelphos) ἀδελφός, -οῦ, ὁ (ἀ- copul., δελφύς, womb), in cl., a brother, born of the same parent or parents. [In LXX (Hort, Ja., 102f.), for אָח ;] 1. lit. of a brother (Gen.4:2, al.). 2. Of a neighbour (Lev.19:17). 3. Of a member of the same nation (Exo.2:14, Deu.15:3). In NT in each of these senses (1. Mat.1:2, al.; 2. Mat.7:3; 3. Rom.9:3) and also, …

orἢēG2228
or

ἤ (ē) ἤ, disjunctive and comparative particle (Bl., §36, 12; 77, 11); 1. disjunctive, or; (a) between single words: Mat.5:17 Mrk.6:56, Luk.2:24, Jhn.6:19, Rom.1:21, al.; (b) before a sentence expressing a variation, denial or refutation of a previous statement, frequently in interrog. form: Mat.7:4, 9 Mrk.12:14, Luk.13:4, Rom.3:29 6:3 9:21, 1Co.6:9, 16 9:6, 2Co.11:7; ἤ . . . ἤ, either . . . or, Mat.6:24, Luk.16:13, 1Co.14:6; …

a sisterἀδελφὴadelphēG0079
sister

ἀδελφή (adelphē) ἀδελφή, -ῆς, ἡ (ἀδελφός), [in LXX for אָהוֹת ;] a sister: Mat.19:29, al.; metaphorically (MM, VGT, see word), of a member of the Christian community: Rom.16:1, 1Co.7:15 Jas.21:15, al. (AS)

without clothesγυμνοὶgumnoiG1131
naked

γυμνός (gumnos) γυμνός, -ή, -όν, [in LXX chiefly for עָרוֹם ;] naked, without clothing, and sometimes (as frequently in cl.) scantily or poorly clad (Isa.20:2ff., Tob.1:16, 2Ma.11:12): Mat.25:36, 38 43, 44, Mrk.14:52, Jhn.21:7, Act.19:16, Jas.2:15, Rev.3:17 16:15, 17:16; as subst., to γ., the naked body, Mrk.14:51. Metaphorical, of things exposed, Heb.4:13; of the soul without a body (Plat., Crat., with, 20, and cf. Deiss., LAE, 293), 2Co.5:3; of seed, bare, 1Co.15:37 (Cremer, 168).† (AS)

shall beὑπάρχωσινhuparchōsinG5225
possession

ὑπάρχοντα (huparchonta) to have, possess; (n.) possessions; to be, exist to begin; to come into existence; to exist; to be, subsist, Acts 19:40; 28:18; to be in possession, to belong, Acts 3:6; 4:37; goods, possessions, property, Mt. 19:21; Lk. 8:3; to be, Lk. 7:25; 8:41

andκαὶkaiG2532
and

καί (kai) καί, conj., and I. Copulative. 1. Connecting single words; (a) in general: Mat.2:18, 16:1, Mrk.2:15, Luk.8:15, Heb.1:1, al. mult.; repeated before each of the terms in a series, Mat.23:23, Luk.14:21, Rom.7:12, 9:4, al. (b) connecting numerals (WM, §37, 4): Jhn.2:20, Act.13:20; (with) joining terms which are not mutually exclusive, as the part with the whole: Mat.8:33, 26:59, Mrk.16:17, Act.5:29, al. 2. Connecting clauses and sentences: Mat.3:12, Act.5:21, al. mult.; esp. …

lackingλειπόμενοιleipomenoiG3007
to lack

λείπω (leipō) λείπω [in LXX: Job.4:11, Pro.19:4 (פָּרַד), al. ;] 1. trans., to leave, leave behind; pass., to be left behind, to lack before prep. (as more usual in cl.), ἐν, Jas.1:4; with genitive of thing(s), Jas.1:5 2:15. 2. Intrans., to be gone, to be wanting: with dative of person(s), Luk.18:22, Tit.3:13; τὰ λείποντα, Tit.1:5 (cf. ἀπο-, δια-, ἐκ-, ἐπι-, κατα-, ἐν-κατα-, περι-, ὑπο-λείπω).† (AS)

they may beὦσινōsinG1510
you are

εἶ (ei) εἰμί, with various uses and significations, like the English verb to be. I. As substantive verb. 1. Of persons and things, to be, exist: Act.17:28, Jhn.1:1, 8:58, 17:5, al; ὁ ὢν καὶ ὁ ἦν (for past ptcp.), Rev.1:4, 8, 4:8, 11:17, 16:5 (see Swete, Ap., 5; M, Pr., 228); τὰ (μὴ) ὄντα, Rom.4:17, 1Co.1:28. 2. Of times, events, etc., to be, happen, take place: Mat.24:3, Mrk.14:2, 15:42, Luk.21:23, Jhn.4:6, 23, 5:10, al. …

of dailyἐφημέρουephēmerouG2184
daily

ἐφήμερος (ephēmeros) ἐφ-ήμερος, -ον (ἐπί, ἡμέρα), 1. lasting for a day. 2. daily, for the day: Jas.2:15.† (AS)

food,τροφῆς,trophēsG5160
food

τροφή (trophē) τροφή, -ῆς, ἡ (τρέφω), [in LXX for לֶחֶם, מָזוֹן, אֹכֶל, etc. ;] nourishment, food: Mat.3:4 6:25 10:10 24:45, Luk.12:23, Jhn.4:8, Act.2:46 9:19 14:17 27:33-34, 36 27:38 Jas.2:15. Metaphorical: Heb.5:12, 14.† (AS)

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.