James 1:5-6

1:5 But if anyone is deficient in wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without reprimand, and it will be given to him. 1:6 But he must ask in faith without doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed around by the wind.

James 1:10

1:10 But the rich person’s pride should be in his humiliation, because he will pass away like a wildflower in the meadow. ¹ 

James 2:8

2:8 But if you fulfill the royal law as expressed in this scripture, ²  “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” ³  you are doing well.

James 2:14

Faith and Works Together

2:14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, ⁴  if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? Can this kind of faith ⁵  save him? ⁶ 

James 2:18

2:18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” ⁷  Show me your faith without works and I will show you faith by ⁸  my works.

James 3:17

3:17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, accommodating, ⁹  full of mercy and good fruit, ¹⁰  impartial, and not hypocritical. ¹¹ 

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¹ tn Grk “a flower of grass.”

² tn Grk “according to the scripture.”

³ sn A quotation from Lev 19:18 (also quoted in Matt 19:19; 22:39; Mark 12:31; Luke 10:27; Rom 13:9; Gal 5:14).

⁴ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:2.

⁵ tn Grk “the faith,” referring to the kind of faith just described: faith without works. The article here is anaphoric, referring to the previous mention of the noun πίστις (pisti") in the verse. See ExSyn 219.

⁶ sn The form of the question in Greek expects a negative answer.

⁷ tn There is considerable doubt about where the words of the “someone” end and where James’ reply begins. Some see the quotation running to the end of v. 18; others to the end of v. 19. But most punctuate as shown above. The “someone” is then an objector, and the sense of his words is something like, “Some have faith; others have works; don’t expect everyone to have both.” James’ reply is that faith cannot exist or be seen without works.

⁸ tn Or “from.”

⁹ tn Or “willing to yield,” “open to persuasion.”

¹⁰ tn Grk “fruits.” The plural Greek term καρπούς has been translated with the collective singular “fruit.”

¹¹ tn Or “sincere.”