James 2:18
New International Version
But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.

New Living Translation
Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.”

English Standard Version
But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

Berean Standard Bible
But someone will say, “You have faith and I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.

Berean Literal Bible
But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without works, and I will show you faith by my works.

King James Bible
Yea, 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.

New King James Version
But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

New American Standard Bible
But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”

NASB 1995
But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”

NASB 1977
But someone may well say, “You have faith, and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”

Legacy Standard Bible
But someone will say, “You have faith; and I have works. Show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”

Amplified Bible
But someone may say, “You [claim to] have faith and I have [good] works; show me your [alleged] faith without the works [if you can], and I will show you my faith by my works [that is, by what I do].”

Christian Standard Bible
But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without works, and I will show you faith by my works.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without works, and I will show you faith from my works.

American Standard Version
Yea, a man will say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith apart from thy works, and I by my works will show thee my faith.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
For a man may say to you, “You and I have faith; I have works. Show me your faith without works, and I shall show you my faith by my works.”

Contemporary English Version
Suppose someone disagrees and says, "It is possible to have faith without doing kind deeds." I would answer, "Prove that you have faith without doing kind deeds, and I will prove that I have faith by doing them."

Douay-Rheims Bible
But some man will say: Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without works; and I will shew thee, by works, my faith.

English Revised Version
Yea, a man will say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith apart from thy works, and I by my works will shew thee my faith.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Another person might say, "You have faith, but I do good things." Show me your faith apart from the good things you do. I will show you my faith by the good things I do.

Good News Translation
But someone will say, "One person has faith, another has actions." My answer is, "Show me how anyone can have faith without actions. I will show you my faith by my actions."

International Standard Version
But someone may say, "You have faith, and I have actions." Show me your faith without any actions, and I will show you my faith by my actions.

Literal Standard Version
But someone may say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without works, and I will show you my faith out of works.

Majority Standard Bible
But someone will say, “You have faith and I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.

New American Bible
Indeed someone may say, “You have faith and I have works.” Demonstrate your faith to me without works, and I will demonstrate my faith to you from my works.

NET Bible
But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith without works and I will show you faith by my works.

New Revised Standard Version
But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith.

New Heart English Bible
But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without works, and I by my works will show you my faith.

Webster's Bible Translation
Also 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.

Weymouth New Testament
Nay, some one will say, "You have faith, I have actions: prove to me your faith apart from corresponding actions and I will prove mine to you by my actions.

World English Bible
Yes, a man will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

Young's Literal Translation
But say may some one, Thou hast faith, and I have works, shew me thy faith out of thy works, and I will shew thee out of my works my faith:

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Faith and Works
17So too, faith by itself, if it does not result in action, is dead. 18But someone will say, “You have faith and I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. 19You believe that God is one. Good for you! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.…

Cross References
Matthew 7:16
By their fruit you will recognize them. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?

Romans 3:28
For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the law.

Romans 4:6
And David speaks likewise of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:

Romans 9:19
One of you will say to me, "Then why does God still find fault? For who can resist His will?"

Galatians 5:6
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. All that matters is faith, expressed through love.

Hebrews 11:33
who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions,

James 3:13
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good conduct, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.


Treasury of Scripture

Yes, a man may say, You have faith, and I have works: show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

Thou.

James 2:14,22
What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? …

Romans 14:23
And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

1 Corinthians 13:2
And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

without thy works.

and I will.

James 2:22-25
Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? …

James 3:13
Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.

Matthew 7:17
Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

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James 2
1. Do not regard the rich and despise the poor brothers;
13. rather we are to be loving and merciful;
14. and not to boast of faith without deeds;
17. because faith without deeds is useless;
19. as is the faith of the demons;
21. however, Abraham displayed both faith and actions;
25. as did Rahab.














(18) Yea, a man may say . . .--The bearing of this verse is commonly misunderstood; its words are those of scorn, uttered probably by some enemy of the faith--Jewish or Pagan--and are another instance, like that of the unruly tongue, by which those outside the pale of Christianity may and will judge us within. James 2:18-22 are all the speech of this practical opponent of first century solifidianism. The English version, "Show me thy faith without thy works" is correct, though according to some editors (see marginal variation) it should be by or from.

The sense is obvious; and whether the speaker be Christian or no, he lays claim to faith in God, the Father of all, as the efficient cause of his good deeds.

Verses 18, 19. -

(2) Second point: Even the devils believe (πιστεύουσι). How worthless, then, must be faith (πίστις) alone! Verse 18. - Yea, a man may say (ἀλλ ἐρεῖτις). The objection in 1 Corinthians 15:35 is introduced by precisely the same words. It is somewhat difficult to see their drift here, as what follows cannot be an objection, for it is just the position which St. James himself adopts. The formula must, therefore, be taken as introducing the perfectly fair retort to which the man who gives utterance to the sentiments of ver. 16 lays himself open. Without thy works. Instead of χώρις (א, A, B, C, Latt., Syriac, Coptic), the Received Text has the manifestly erroneous reading ἐκ (K, L), in which it is happily not followed by the A.V.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
But
Ἀλλ’ (All’)
Conjunction
Strong's 235: But, except, however. Neuter plural of allos; properly, other things, i.e. contrariwise.

someone
τις (tis)
Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5100: Any one, some one, a certain one or thing. An enclitic indefinite pronoun; some or any person or object.

will say,
ἐρεῖ (erei)
Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2046: Probably a fuller form of rheo; an alternate for epo in certain tenses; to utter, i.e. Speak or say.

“You
Σὺ (Sy)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

have
ἔχεις (echeis)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 2192: To have, hold, possess. Including an alternate form scheo skheh'-o; a primary verb; to hold.

faith
πίστιν (pistin)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 4102: Faith, belief, trust, confidence; fidelity, faithfulness.

and I
κἀγὼ (kagō)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person Singular
Strong's 2504: To also, I too, but I. From kai and ego; so also the dative case kamoi, and accusative case kame and I, me.

have
ἔχω (echō)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 2192: To have, hold, possess. Including an alternate form scheo skheh'-o; a primary verb; to hold.

deeds.”
ἔργα (erga)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural
Strong's 2041: From a primary ergo; toil; by implication, an act.

Show
δεῖξόν (deixon)
Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 1166: A prolonged form of an obsolete primary of the same meaning; to show.

me
μοι (moi)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

your
σου (sou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

faith
πίστιν (pistin)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 4102: Faith, belief, trust, confidence; fidelity, faithfulness.

without
χωρὶς (chōris)
Preposition
Strong's 5565: Apart from, separately from; without. Adverb from chora; at a space, i.e. Separately or apart from.

deeds,
ἔργων (ergōn)
Noun - Genitive Neuter Plural
Strong's 2041: From a primary ergo; toil; by implication, an act.

and I
κἀγώ (kagō)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person Singular
Strong's 2504: To also, I too, but I. From kai and ego; so also the dative case kamoi, and accusative case kame and I, me.

will show
δείξω (deixō)
Verb - Future Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1166: A prolonged form of an obsolete primary of the same meaning; to show.

you
σοι (soi)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

[my]
τὴν (tēn)
Article - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

faith
πίστιν (pistin)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 4102: Faith, belief, trust, confidence; fidelity, faithfulness.

by
ἐκ (ek)
Preposition
Strong's 1537: From out, out from among, from, suggesting from the interior outwards. A primary preposition denoting origin, from, out.

my
μου (mou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

deeds.
ἔργων (ergōn)
Noun - Genitive Neuter Plural
Strong's 2041: From a primary ergo; toil; by implication, an act.


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NT Letters: James 2:18 Yes a man will say You have (Ja Jas. Jam)
James 2:17
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