Focused Passage

James 2:14-17

Mercy, Partiality, and Living Faith

James moves from condemning favoritism in the assembly, to exposing partiality as lawbreaking, to calling believers to mercy before judgment, and finally to demonstrating that genuine faith is living, active, and completed in works.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone claims to have faith, but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?

15 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.

16 If 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?

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

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 14

Cross-references

Galatians 3 BSB references Mark 7:6 Classic cross-references Luke 7:50 Classic cross-references James 1:22 Classic cross-references Matthew 7:26 Classic cross-references Matthew 7:21 Classic cross-references Isaiah 58:6–7 OliveGrove study links

Original words

What Τί G5101 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Neuter Singular - τὸ G3588 Article - Nominative Neuter Singular good [is it] ὄφελος G3786 Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular my μου G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular brothers ἀδελφοί G80 Noun - Vocative Masculine Plural if ἐὰν G1437 Conjunction someone τις G5100 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular claims λέγῃ G3004 Verb - Present Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular to have ἔχειν G2192 Verb - Present Infinitive Active faith πίστιν G4102 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular but δὲ G1161 Conjunction has ἔχῃ G2192 Verb - Present Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular no μὴ G3361 Adverb deeds ἔργα G2041 Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural vvv μὴ G3361 Adverb Can δύναται G1410 Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular such ἡ G3588 Article - Nominative Feminine Singular faith πίστις G4102 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular save σῶσαι G4982 Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active him αὐτόν G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular

Verse 15

Cross-references

1 John 3:18 Classic cross-references Proverbs 3:27 Classic cross-references Matthew 25:35 Classic cross-references 1 John 3:17 Classic cross-references Luke 3:11 Classic cross-references Isaiah 58:6–7 OliveGrove study links

Original words

Suppose ἐὰν G1437 Conjunction a brother ἀδελφὸς G80 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular or ἢ G2228 Conjunction sister ἀδελφὴ G79 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular is ὑπάρχωσιν G5225 Verb - Present Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Plural without clothes γυμνοὶ G1131 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction - λειπόμενοι G3007 Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Plural - τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular daily ἐφημέρου G2184 Adjective - Genitive Feminine Singular food τροφῆς G5160 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular

Verse 16

Cross-references

Proverbs 3:27 Classic cross-references 1 John 3:16 Classic cross-references Matthew 25:42 Classic cross-references Romans 12:9 Classic cross-references 2 Corinthians 8:8 Classic cross-references Isaiah 58:6–7 OliveGrove study links

Original words

[If] δέ G1161 Conjunction one τις G5100 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular of ἐξ G1537 Preposition you ὑμῶν G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural tells εἴπῃ G2036 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular him αὐτοῖς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural Go Ὑπάγετε G5217 Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural in ἐν G1722 Preposition peace εἰρήνῃ G1515 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular stay warm θερμαίνεσθε G2328 Verb - Present Imperative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction well fed χορτάζεσθε G5526 Verb - Present Imperative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person Plural but δὲ G1161 Conjunction {does} not μὴ G3361 Adverb provide for δῶτε G1325 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person Plural . . . αὐτοῖς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural [his] τὰ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Plural - τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Neuter Singular physical σώματος G4983 Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular needs ἐπιτήδεια G2006 Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural what τί G5101 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Neuter Singular - τὸ G3588 Article - Nominative Neuter Singular good [ is that ] ὄφελος G3786 Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular

Verse 17

Cross-references

Matthew 7:24 Classic cross-references James 2:26 Classic cross-references 2 Peter 1:5 Classic cross-references James 2:19 Classic cross-references 1 Corinthians 13:13 Classic cross-references Isaiah 58:6–7 OliveGrove study links

Original words

So οὕτως G3779 Adverb too καὶ G2532 Conjunction - ἡ G3588 Article - Nominative Feminine Singular faith πίστις G4102 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular by καθ’ G2596 Preposition itself ἑαυτήν G1438 Reflexive Pronoun - Accusative Feminine 3rd Person Singular if ἐὰν G1437 Conjunction it does not result ἔχῃ G2192 Verb - Present Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular . . . μὴ G3361 Adverb in action ἔργα G2041 Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural is ἐστιν G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular dead νεκρά G3498 Adjective - Nominative Feminine Singular

BSB notes

Literally if it does not have works

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