James 2:14–24

Faith without Works Is Dead

¹⁴What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? Surely that faith cannot save, can it?^{* 15}If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food^{* 16}and one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,” and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? ¹⁷So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.

¹⁸But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from works, and I by my works will show you 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 worthless?^{f 21}Was not our ancestor Abraham justified by works when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?^{* 22}You see that faith was active along with his works, and by works faith was brought to completion.^{* 23}Thus the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,”^g and he was called the friend of God.^{* 24}You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.