James 2:20

But would you like evidence, ¹  you empty fellow, ²  that faith without works is useless? ³ 

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

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

Fool! When will you ever learn that faith that does not result in good deeds is useless?

Use your heads! Do you suppose for a minute that you can cut faith and works in two and not end up with a corpse on your hands?

Do you not see, O foolish man, that faith without works is of no use?

Do you want to be shown, you senseless person, that faith apart from works is barren?

But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?

But would you like evidence, ¹  you empty fellow, ²  that faith without works is useless? ³ 

¹ tn Grk “do you want to know.”

² tn Grk “O empty man.” Here the singular vocative ἄνθρωπε (anqrwpe, “man”) means “person” or even “fellow.” Cf. BDAG 82 s.v. ἄνθρωπος 8 which views this as an instance of rhetorical address in a letter; the pejorative sense is also discussed under the previous heading (7).

³ tc Most witnesses, including several important ones (א A C² P Ψ 33 Ï sy bo), have νεκρά (nekra, “dead”) here, while Ì⁷⁴ reads κενή (kenh, “empty”). Both variants are most likely secondary, derived from ἀργή (argh, “useless”). The reading of the majority is probably an assimilation to the statements in vv. 17 and 26, while Ì⁷⁴’s reading picks up on κενέ (kene) earlier in the verse. The external evidence (B C* 323 945 1739 sa) for ἀργή is sufficient for authenticity; coupled with the strong internal evidence for the reading (if νεκρά were original, how would ἀργή have arisen here and not in vv. 17 or 26?), it is strongly preferred.