James 2:20

Mace New Testament

Vain man, must I show you how lifeless a thing faith is, without its effects?

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
You fool! Faith that does nothing is worth nothing. Do you want me to prove this to you?

Revised Standard Version
Do you want to be shown, you shallow man, that faith apart from works is barren?

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Wilt thou vnderstonde o thou vayne man that fayth with out dedes is deed?

Hebrew Names Version
But do you want to know, vain man, that faith apart from works is dead?

New American Standard Bible
But are you willing to acknowledge, you foolish person, that faith without works is useless?

New Century Version
You foolish person! Must you be shown that faith that does nothing is worth nothing?

Update Bible Version
But do you want to know, O vain man, that faith apart from works is barren?

Webster's Bible Translation
But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

English Standard Version
Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?

World English Bible
But do you want to know, vain man, that faith apart from works is dead?

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
But art thou willing to know, O empty man, that faith without works is dead?

Weymouth's New Testament
But, idle boaster, are you willing to be taught how it is that faith apart from obedience is worthless? Take the case of Abraham our forefather.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
But wolt thou wite, thou veyn man, that feith with out werkis is idul?

English Revised Version
But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith apart from works is barren?

Berean Standard Bible
O foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is worthless?

Contemporary English Version
Does some stupid person want proof that faith without deeds is useless?

Amplified Bible
But are you willing to recognize, you foolish [spiritually shallow] person, that faith without [good] works is useless?

American Standard Version
But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith apart from works is barren?

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

Complete Jewish Bible
But, foolish fellow, do you want to be shown that such "faith" apart from actions is barren?

Darby Translation
But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

International Standard Version
Do you want proof, you foolish person, that faith without works is worthless?

Etheridge Translation
Art thou willing to know, O weak man, that faith without works is dead ?

Murdock Translation
Wouldst thou know, O frail man, that faith without works is dead?

King James Version (1611)
But wilt thou knowe, O vaine man, that faith without workes is dead?

New Living Translation
How foolish! Can't you see that faith without good deeds is useless?

New Life Bible
You foolish man! Do I have to prove to you that faith without doing things is of no use?

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

Geneva Bible (1587)
But wilt thou vnderstand, O thou vaine man, yt the faith which is without workes, is dead?

George Lamsa Translation
Would you know, O weak man, that faith without works is dead?

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But art thou willing to learn, O empty man! that, faith, apart from works, is, idle?

Douay-Rheims Bible
But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

Bishop's Bible (1568)
But wylt thou knowe, O thou vayne man, that that fayth which is without workes, is dead?

Good News Translation
You fool! Do you want to be shown that faith without actions is useless?

Christian Standard Bible®
Senseless person! Are you willing to learn that faith without works is useless?

King James Version
But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

Lexham English Bible
But do you want to know, O foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?

Literal Translation
But are you willing to know, O vain man, that faith apart from works is dead?

Young's Literal Translation
And dost thou wish to know, O vain man, that the faith apart from the works is dead?

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Wilt thou vnderstode o thou vayne man that faith with out dedes is deed:

New English Translation
But would you like evidence, you empty fellow, that faith without works is useless?

New King James Version
But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? [fn]

Simplified Cowboy Version
So you want me to prove that like a saddle without a horse is useless, so faith without works is the same?

New American Standard Bible (1995)
But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless?

Contextual Overview

¹⁴ What advantage is it, my brethren, for a man to say he has faith, if he has no beneficence? can such a faith save him? ¹⁵ suppose one of your brethren should be destitute of cloths, and of his daily nourishment, ¹⁶ and one of you should thus address him; "go and prosper, I wish you a warm fire, and a full meal:" without relieving his wants, would he be the better for your wish? ¹⁷ just so faith, if it be not operative, is intirely lifeless. ¹⁸ it will be said, "you have a speculative faith, but mine is practical. where is your faith, if no effects appear? as for me, my actions will vouch for my faith. ¹⁹ you believe there is but one God, very well: the demons believe as much, and tremble." ²⁰ Vain man, must I show you how lifeless a thing faith is, without its effects? ²¹ was not our father Abraham treated as just, in consequence of his actions, when he had attempted to sacrifice his son upon the altar? ²² don't you see his actions and his faith conspir'd, and that his faith had its perfect effect in his conduct? ²³ it was then, that those words of scripture were accomplished, "Abraham believed God, and he was regarded for it as a man of virtue, and was the favourite of God."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

O vain: James 1:26, Job 11:11, Job 11:12, Psalms 94:8-11, Proverbs 12:11, Jeremiah 2:5, Romans 1:21, 1 Corinthians 15:35, 1 Corinthians 15:36, Galatians 6:3, Colossians 2:8, 1 Timothy 1:6, Titus 1:10

that: James 2:14

Reciprocal: Micah 6:8 - O man Matthew 5:22 - Raca Matthew 7:21 - saith Matthew 7:26 - doeth Matthew 15:9 - in Mark 7:7 - in vain John 2:23 - many John 13:17 - happy Romans 2:1 - O man Romans 3:20 - no flesh Romans 9:20 - O man 1 Corinthians 15:14 - General Colossians 2:13 - dead James 2:17 - so James 2:26 - so Revelation 2:26 - keepeth

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But wilt thou know, O vain man,.... These are the words of the apostle reassuming the argument, that faith without works is dead, useless, and unprofitable; and the man that boasts of his faith, and has no works to show it, he calls a "vain man", an empty one, sounding brass, and a tinkling cymbal; empty vessels make the greatest sound; such are proud boasters, vainly puffed up by their fleshly mind; but are empty of the true knowledge of God, and of the faith of Christ, and of the grace of the Spirit: the Syriac version renders it, "O weak", or "feeble man", as he must needs be, whose faith is dead, and boasts of such a lifeless thing; and the Ethiopic version renders it, "O foolish man", for such an one betrays his ignorance in spiritual things, whatever conceit he has of his knowledge and understanding: the character seems levelled against the Gnostics, who were swelled with a vain opinion of their knowledge, to whom the apostle addresses himself thus. The phrase, "vain man", is a proper interpretation of the word

ריקא, "Raca", or Reka, used in Matthew 5:22,

Matthew 5:22- :, which though not to be said to a man in an angry way, yet may be applied to men of such a character as here described; who were empty of solid good, and yet boasted of their knowledge. "Wilt thou know?" dost thou require proofs,

that faith, without works, is dead? as in James 2:17 and that true faith has always works accompanying it, and is shown and known by it? then take the following instances.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

But wilt thou know - Will you have a full demonstration of it; will you have the clearest proof in the case. The apostle evidently felt that the instances to which he was about to refer, those of Abraham and Rahab, were decisive.

O vain man - The reference by this language is to a man who held an opinion that could not be defended. The word “vain” here used (κενε kene) means properly “empty,” as opposed to “full” - as empty hands, having nothing in them; then fruitless, or without utility or success; then false, fallacious. The meaning here, properly, would be “empty,” in the sense of being void of understanding; and this would be a mild and gentle way of saying of one that he was foolish, or that he maintained an argument that was without sense. James means, doubtless, to represent it as a perfectly plain matter, a matter about which no man of sense could have any reasonable doubt. If we must call a man foolish, as is sometimes necessary, let us use as mild and inoffensive a term as possible - a term which, while it will convey our meaning, will not unnecessarily wound and irritate.

That faith without works is dead - That the faith which does not produce good works is useless in the matter of salvation. He does not mean to say that it would produce no effect, for in the case of the demons it did produce trembling and alarm; but that it would be valueless in the matter of salvation. The faith of Abraham and of Rahab was entirely different from this.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 20. But wilt thou know — Art thou willing to be instructed in the nature of true saving faith? Then attend to the following examples.