James 2:17
New International Version
In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

New Living Translation
So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.

English Standard Version
So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

Berean Standard Bible
So too, faith by itself, if it does not result in action, is dead.

Berean Literal Bible
So also, faith by itself if it has not works, is dead.

King James Bible
Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

New King James Version
Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

New American Standard Bible
In the same way, faith also, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.

NASB 1995
Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.

NASB 1977
Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.

Legacy Standard Bible
Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead by itself.

Amplified Bible
So too, faith, if it does not have works [to back it up], is by itself dead [inoperative and ineffective].

Christian Standard Bible
In the same way faith, if it does not have works, is dead by itself.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
In the same way faith, if it doesn’t have works, is dead by itself.

American Standard Version
Even so faith, if it have not works, is dead in itself.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
So also faith alone without works is dead.

Contemporary English Version
Faith that doesn't lead us to do good deeds is all alone and dead!

Douay-Rheims Bible
So faith also, if it have not works, is dead in itself.

English Revised Version
Even so faith, if it have not works, is dead in itself.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
In the same way, faith by itself is dead if it doesn't cause you to do any good things.

Good News Translation
So it is with faith: if it is alone and includes no actions, then it is dead.

International Standard Version
In the same way, faith by itself, if it does not prove itself with actions, is dead.

Literal Standard Version
So also faith, if it may not have works, is dead by itself.

Majority Standard Bible
So too, faith by itself, if it does not result in action, is dead.

New American Bible
So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

NET Bible
So also faith, if it does not have works, is dead being by itself.

New Revised Standard Version
So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.

New Heart English Bible
Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead in itself.

Webster's Bible Translation
Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

Weymouth New Testament
So also faith, if it is unaccompanied by obedience, has no life in it--so long as it stands alone.

World English Bible
Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead in itself.

Young's Literal Translation
so also the faith, if it may not have works, is dead by itself.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Faith and Works
16If one of you tells him, “Go in peace; stay warm and well fed,” but does not provide for his physical needs, what good is that? 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.…

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

James 2:20
O foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is worthless?

James 2:26
As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.


Treasury of Scripture

Even so faith, if it has not works, is dead, being alone.

so.

James 2:14,19,20,26
What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? …

1 Corinthians 13:3,13
And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing…

1 Thessalonians 1:3
Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;

alone.

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Accompanied Action Alone Dead Faith Itself Life Obedience Stands Unaccompanied Way Works
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Accompanied Action Alone Dead Faith Itself Life Obedience Stands Unaccompanied Way Works
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.














(17) Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.--Better, like the margin, is dead in its own self. If to be childless among women were a curse in Israel, so to be barren among God's graces is the condemnation of faith in Christendom. And St. Paul, in substantial harmony with this assertion of his brother Apostle, declares (Romans 2:13) "Not the hearers of the Law are just before God, but the doers of the Law shall be justified." There had been no lack of charity under the earlier Jewish teaching; in fact, "righteousness" in many passages of Holy Writ, and in the paraphrases for the unlearned, called the Targums, was explained to be "almsgiving." But the whole system of Rabbinism seems gradually to have destroyed the spiritual life of its scholars; and amongst them now was fast spreading the doctrine of a sterile faith. In the revival of Monotheism under the sword of the prophet of Mecca, the faith of Abraham once more shone in the creed of his descendants; though, alas! the sons of Ishmael, and not Isaac the chosen: and the Muhammedans tell us still that if fasting and prayer bring the believer to the gates of Paradise, alms will let him in.

Verse 17. - Being alone (καθ ἑαυτήν); R.V., in itself. But the rendering of the A.V. appears to be justified by the LXX. in Genesis 43:31, Παρέθηκαν αὐτῷ μόνῳ καὶ αὐτοῖς καθ ἑαυτούς κ.τ.λ..

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
So
οὕτως (houtōs)
Adverb
Strong's 3779: Thus, so, in this manner. Or (referring to what precedes or follows).

too,
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

faith
πίστις (pistis)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 4102: Faith, belief, trust, confidence; fidelity, faithfulness.

by
καθ’ (kath’)
Preposition
Strong's 2596: A primary particle; down, in varied relations (genitive, dative or accusative) with which it is joined).

itself,
ἑαυτήν (heautēn)
Reflexive Pronoun - Accusative Feminine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1438: Himself, herself, itself.

if
ἐὰν (ean)
Conjunction
Strong's 1437: If. From ei and an; a conditional particle; in case that, provided, etc.

it is not complemented
ἔχῃ (echē)
Verb - Present Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2192: To have, hold, possess. Including an alternate form scheo skheh'-o; a primary verb; to hold.

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

is
ἐστιν (estin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

dead.
νεκρά (nekra)
Adjective - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3498: (a) adj: dead, lifeless, subject to death, mortal, (b) noun: a dead body, a corpse. From an apparently primary nekus; dead.


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NT Letters: James 2:17 Even so faith if it has no (Ja Jas. Jam)
James 2:16
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