James 2:14–24

Faith Without Works Is Dead

¹⁴What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith ^obut does not have works? Can that faith save him? ^15pIf a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, ^16qand one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good² is that? ¹⁷So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

¹⁸But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith ^rapart from your works, and I will show you my faith ^sby my works. ^19tYou believe that God is one; you do well. Even ^uthe demons believe—and shudder! ²⁰Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? ^21vWas not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? ²²You see that ^wfaith was active along with his works, and faith was completed ^xby his works; ²³and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, ^y“Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a ^zfriend of God. ²⁴You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.