the Week of Christ the King / Proper 29 / Ordinary 34
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New Living Translation
James 2:20
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You fool! Faith that does nothing is worth nothing. Do you want me to prove this to you?
Do you want to be shown, you shallow man, that faith apart from works is barren?
Wilt thou vnderstonde o thou vayne man that fayth with out dedes is deed?
But do you want to know, vain man, that faith apart from works is dead?
But are you willing to acknowledge, you foolish person, that faith without works is useless?
You foolish person! Must you be shown that faith that does nothing is worth nothing?
But do you want to know, O vain man, that faith apart from works is barren?
But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?
But do you want to know, vain man, that faith apart from works is dead?
But art thou willing to know, O empty man, that faith without works is dead?
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.
But wolt thou wite, thou veyn man, that feith with out werkis is idul?
But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith apart from works is barren?
O foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is worthless?
Does some stupid person want proof that faith without deeds is useless?
But are you willing to recognize, you foolish [spiritually shallow] person, that faith without [good] works is useless?
But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith apart from works is barren?
Do you not see, O foolish man, that faith without works is of no use?
But, foolish fellow, do you want to be shown that such "faith" apart from actions is barren?
But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
Do you want proof, you foolish person, that faith without works is worthless?
Art thou willing to know, O weak man, that faith without works is dead ?
Wouldst thou know, O frail man, that faith without works is dead?
But wilt thou knowe, O vaine man, that faith without workes is dead?
You foolish man! Do I have to prove to you that faith without doing things is of no use?
Do you want to be shown, you senseless person, that faith apart from works is barren?
But wilt thou vnderstand, O thou vaine man, yt the faith which is without workes, is dead?
Would you know, O weak man, that faith without works is dead?
But art thou willing to learn, O empty man! that, faith, apart from works, is, idle?
But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
But wylt thou knowe, O thou vayne man, that that fayth which is without workes, is dead?
You fool! Do you want to be shown that faith without actions is useless?
Senseless person! Are you willing to learn that faith without works is useless?
But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
But do you want to know, O foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?
But are you willing to know, O vain man, that faith apart from works is dead?
And dost thou wish to know, O vain man, that the faith apart from the works is dead?
Wilt thou vnderstode o thou vayne man that faith with out dedes is deed:
Vain man, must I show you how lifeless a thing faith is, without its effects?
But would you like evidence, you empty fellow, that faith without works is useless?
But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? [fn]
So you want me to prove that like a saddle without a horse is useless, so faith without works is the same?
But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless?
Contextual Overview
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
Cross-References
Then the Lord God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him."
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.