James 2:8-26

2:8 But if you fulfill the royal law as expressed in this scripture, ¹  “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” ²  you are doing well. 2:9 But if you show prejudice, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as violators. ³  2:10 For the one who obeys the whole law but fails ⁴  in one point has become guilty of all of it. ⁵  2:11 For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” ⁶  also said, “Do not murder.” ⁷  Now if you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a violator of the law. 2:12 Speak and act as those who will be judged by a law that gives freedom. ⁸  2:13 For judgment is merciless for the one who has shown no mercy. But mercy triumphs over ⁹  judgment.

Faith and Works Together

2:14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, ¹⁰  if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? Can this kind of faith ¹¹  save him? ¹²  2:15 If a brother or sister ¹³  is poorly clothed and lacks daily food, 2:16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm and eat well,” but you do not give them what the body needs, ¹⁴  what good is it? 2:17 So also faith, if it does not have works, is dead being by itself. 2:18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” ¹⁵  Show me your faith without works and I will show you faith by ¹⁶  my works. 2:19 You believe that God is one; well and good. ¹⁷  Even the demons believe that – and tremble with fear. ¹⁸ 

2:20 But would you like evidence, ¹⁹  you empty fellow, ²⁰  that faith without works is useless? ²¹  2:21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 2:22 You see that his faith was working together with his works and his faith was perfected by works. 2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Now Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness,” ²²  and he was called God’s friend. ²³  2:24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 2:25 And similarly, was not Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she welcomed the messengers and sent them out by another way? 2:26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.

[2:8]  ¹ tn Grk “according to the scripture.”

[2:8]  ² sn A quotation from Lev 19:18 (also quoted in Matt 19:19; 22:39; Mark 12:31; Luke 10:27; Rom 13:9; Gal 5:14).

[2:9]  ³ tn Or “transgressors.”

[2:10]  ⁴ tn Or “stumbles.”

[2:10]  ⁵ tn Grk “guilty of all.”

[2:11]  ⁶ sn A quotation from Exod 20:14 and Deut 5:18.

[2:11]  ⁷ sn A quotation from Exod 20:13 and Deut 5:17.

[2:12]  ⁸ tn Grk “a law of freedom.”

[2:13]  ⁹ tn Grk “boasts against, exults over,” in victory.

[2:14]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:2.

[2:14]  ¹¹ tn Grk “the faith,” referring to the kind of faith just described: faith without works. The article here is anaphoric, referring to the previous mention of the noun πίστις (pisti") in the verse. See ExSyn 219.

[2:14]  ¹² sn The form of the question in Greek expects a negative answer.

[2:15]  ¹³ tn It is important to note that the words ἀδελφός (adelfos) and ἀδελφή (adelfh) both occur in the Greek text at this point, confirming that the author intended to refer to both men and women. See the note on “someone” in 2:2.

[2:16]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “what is necessary for the body.”

[2:18]  ¹⁵ 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]  ¹⁶ tn Or “from.”

[2:19]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “you do well.”

[2:19]  ¹⁸ tn Grk “believe and tremble.” The words “with fear” are implied.

[2:20]  ¹⁹ tn Grk “do you want to know.”

[2:20]  ²⁰ tn Grk “O empty man.” Here the singular vocative ἄνθρωπε (anqrwpe, “man”) means “person” or even “fellow.” Cf. BDAG 82 s.v. ἄνθρωπος 8 which views this as an instance of rhetorical address in a letter; the pejorative sense is also discussed under the previous heading (7).

[2:20]  ²¹ tc Most witnesses, including several important ones (א A C² P Ψ 33 Ï sy bo), have νεκρά (nekra, “dead”) here, while Ì⁷⁴ reads κενή (kenh, “empty”). Both variants are most likely secondary, derived from ἀργή (argh, “useless”). The reading of the majority is probably an assimilation to the statements in vv. 17 and 26, while Ì⁷⁴’s reading picks up on κενέ (kene) earlier in the verse. The external evidence (B C* 323 945 1739 sa) for ἀργή is sufficient for authenticity; coupled with the strong internal evidence for the reading (if νεκρά were original, how would ἀργή have arisen here and not in vv. 17 or 26?), it is strongly preferred.

[2:23]  ²² sn A quotation from Gen 15:6.

[2:23]  ²³ sn An allusion to 2 Chr 20:7; Isa 41:8; 51:2; Dan 3:35 (LXX), in which Abraham is called God’s “beloved.”