James 2:14-26

Good News Translation

Faith and Actions

¹⁴ My friends, what good is it for one of you to say that you have faith if your actions do not prove it? Can that faith save you? ¹⁵ Suppose there are brothers or sisters who need clothes and don't have enough to eat. ¹⁶ What good is there in your saying to them, “God bless you! Keep warm and eat well!”—if you don't give them the necessities of life? ¹⁷ So it is with faith: if it is alone and includes no actions, then it is dead.

¹⁸ But someone will say, “One person has faith, another has actions.” My answer is, “Show me how anyone can have faith without actions. I will show you my faith by my actions.” ¹⁹ Do you believe that there is only one God? Good! The demons also believe—and tremble with fear. ²⁰ You fool! Do you want to be shown that faith without actions is useless?^{[a] 21 (A)}How was our ancestor Abraham put right with God? It was through his actions, when he offered his son Isaac on the altar. ²² Can't you see? His faith and his actions worked together; his faith was made perfect through his actions. ^23 (B)And the scripture came true that said, “Abraham believed God, and because of his faith God accepted him as righteous.” And so Abraham was called God's friend. ²⁴ You see, then, that it is by our actions that we are put right with God, and not by our faith alone.

^25 (C)It was the same with the prostitute Rahab. She was put right with God through her actions, by welcoming the Israelite spies and helping them to escape by a different road.

²⁶ So then, as the body without the spirit is dead, also faith without actions is dead.