James 2:18

2:18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” ¹  Show me your faith without works and I will show you faith by ²  my works.

Isaiah 60:6

60:6 Camel caravans will cover your roads, ³ 

young camels from Midian and Ephah.

All the merchants of Sheba ⁴  will come,

bringing gold and incense

and singing praises to the Lord. ⁵ 

Isaiah 60:2

60:2 For, look, darkness covers the earth

and deep darkness covers ⁶  the nations,

but the Lord shines on you;

his splendor ⁷  appears over you.

Colossians 1:24

1:24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and I fill up in my physical body – for the sake of his body, the church – what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ.

Colossians 1:1

Salutation

1:1 From Paul, ⁸  an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

Colossians 2:9

2:9 For in him all the fullness of deity lives ⁹  in bodily form,

[2:18]  ¹ tn There is considerable doubt about where the words of the “someone” end and where James’ reply begins. Some see the quotation running to the end of v. 18; others to the end of v. 19. But most punctuate as shown above. The “someone” is then an objector, and the sense of his words is something like, “Some have faith; others have works; don’t expect everyone to have both.” James’ reply is that faith cannot exist or be seen without works.

[2:18]  ² tn Or “from.”

[60:6]  ³ tn Heb “an abundance of camels will cover you.”

[60:6]  ⁴ tn Heb “all of them, from Sheba.”

[60:6]  ⁵ tn Heb “and they will announce the praises of the Lord.”

[60:2]  ⁶ tn The verb “covers” is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).

[60:2]  ⁷ tn Or “glory” (so most English versions); TEV “the brightness of his presence.”

[1:1]  ⁸ tn Grk “Paul.” The word “from” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.

[2:9]  ⁹ sn In him all the fullness of deity lives. The present tense in this verse (“lives”) is significant. Again, as was stated in the note on 1:19, this is not a temporary dwelling, but a permanent one. Paul’s point is polemical against the idea that the fullness of God dwells anywhere else, as the Gnostics believed, except in Christ alone. At the incarnation, the second person of the Trinity assumed humanity, and is forever the God-man.