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James 2:17–20

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

18 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.”

19 You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God.* Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. 20 How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless?

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James 2:17–20 — The New International Version (NIV)

17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

18 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. 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.

20 You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?

James 2:17–20 — English Standard Version (ESV)

17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

18 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. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! 20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?

James 2:17–20 — King James Version (KJV 1900)

17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. 18 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. 19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. 20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

James 2:17–20 — The New King James Version (NKJV)

17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

18 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. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?

James 2:17–20 — New Century Version (NCV)

17 In the same way, faith by itself—that does nothing—is dead.

18 Someone might say, “You have faith, but I have deeds.” Show me your faith without doing anything, and I will show you my faith by what I do. 19 You believe there is one God. Good! But the demons believe that, too, and they tremble with fear.

20 You foolish person! Must you be shown that faith that does nothing is worth nothing?

James 2:17–20 — American Standard Version (ASV)

17 Even so faith, if it have not works, is dead in itself. 18 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. 19 Thou believest that God is one; thou doest well: the demons also believe, and shudder. 20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith apart from works is barren?

James 2:17–20 — 1890 Darby Bible (DARBY)

17 So also faith, if it have not works, is dead by itself. 18 But some one will say, Thou hast faith and I have works. Shew me thy faith without works, and I from my works will shew thee my faith. 19 Thou believest that God is one. Thou doest well. The demons even believe, and tremble. 20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

James 2:17–20 — GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

17 In the same way, faith by itself is dead if it doesn’t cause you to do any good things. 

18 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. 19 You believe that there is one God. That’s fine! The demons also believe that, and they tremble with fear. 

20 You fool! Do you have to be shown that faith which does nothing is useless?

James 2:17–20 — The Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

17 In the same way faith, if it doesn’t have works, is dead by itself.

18 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. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. The demons also believe—and they shudder.

20 Foolish man! Are you willing to learn that faith without works is useless?

James 2:17–20 — The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

17 So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.

18 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. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder. 20 Do you want to be shown, you senseless person, that faith apart from works is barren?

James 2:17–20 — The Lexham English Bible (LEB)

17 Thus also faith, if it does not have works, is dead by itself.

18 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. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe, and shudder! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?

James 2:17–20 — New International Reader’s Version (1998) (NIrV)

17 It is the same with faith. If it doesn’t cause us to do something, it’s dead.

18 But someone will say, “You have faith. I do good works.”

Show me your faith that doesn’t do good works. And I will show you my faith by what I do. 19 You believe there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that. And they tremble!

20 You foolish man! Do you want proof that faith without good works is useless?

James 2:17–20 — New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (NASB95)

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

18 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.”

19 You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.

20 But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless?


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