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James 2:18-26 CEV
(18) Suppose someone disagrees and says, "It is possible to have faith without doing kind deeds." I would answer, "Prove that you have faith without doing kind deeds, and I will prove that I have faith by doing them."
(19) You surely believe there is only one God. That's fine. Even demons believe this, and it makes them shake with fear.
(20) Does some stupid person want proof that faith without deeds is useless?
(21) Well, our ancestor Abraham pleased God by putting his son Isaac on the altar to sacrifice him.
(22) Now you see how Abraham's faith and deeds worked together. He proved that his faith was real by what he did.
(23) This is what the Scriptures mean by saying, "Abraham had faith in God, and God was pleased with him." That's how Abraham became God's friend. [Gen. 15:6; Isa. 41:8]
(24) You can now see that we please God by what we do and not only by what we believe.
(25) For example, Rahab had been a prostitute. But she pleased God when she welcomed the spies and sent them home by another way.
(26) Anyone who doesn't breathe is dead, and faith that doesn't do anything is just as dead!
Please consider: Regarding the importance of God's personal name ( יהוה ). The verses many Bible translations reference, because James 2:23 says "and the scripture was fulfilled that states, 'Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness' - and he was called a friend of God." are Gen 15:6 and Isaiah 41:8. Really... Could you consider yourself a true friend of God if you didn't even know his name?
James 2:18-26 LITV
(18) But someone will say, You have faith, and I have works. Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith out of my works.
(19) You believe that God is One. You do well; even the demons believe and shudder.
(20) But are you willing to know, O vain man, that faith apart from works is dead?
(21) Was not our father Abraham justified by works offering up his son Isaac on the altar? Gen. 22:9
(22) You see that faith worked with his works; and out of the works the faith was made perfected.
(23) And the Scripture was fulfilled, saying, "And Abraham believed God, and it was counted for righteousness to him;" and he was called, Friend of God. [Gen. 15:6; Isa. 41:8]
(24) You see, then, that a man is justified out of works, and not out of faith only.
(25) But in the same way Rahab the harlot was also justified out of works, having received the messengers, and sending them out by another way.
(26) For as the body is dead apart from the spirit, so also faith is dead apart from works.
James 2:18-26 NWT
18 Nevertheless, a certain one will say: "You have faith, and I have works. Show me your faith apart from the works, and I shall show you my faith by my works." 19 You believe there is one God, do you? You are doing quite well. And yet the demons believe and shudder. 20 But do you care to know, O empty man, that faith apart from works is inactive? 21 Was not Abraham our father declared righteous by works after he had offered up Isaac his son upon the altar? 22 You behold that [his] faith worked along with his works and by [his] works [his] faith was perfected, 23 and the scripture was fulfilled which says: "Abraham put faith in Jehovah, and it was counted to him as righteousness," and he came to be called "Jehovah's friend." [Gen. 15:6; Isa. 41:8] 24 You see that a man is to be declared righteous by works, and not by faith alone. 25 In the same manner was not also Rahab the harlot declared righteous by works, after she had received the messengers hospitably and sent them out by another way? 26 Indeed, as the body without spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.
James 2:18-26 GW
(18) Another person might say, "You have faith, but I do good things." Show me your faith apart from the good things you do. I will show you my faith by the good things I do.
(19) You believe that there is one God. That's fine! The demons also believe that, and they tremble with fear.
(20) You fool! Do you have to be shown that faith which does nothing is useless?
(21) Didn't our ancestor Abraham receive God's approval as a result of what he did when he offered his son Isaac as a sacrifice on the altar?
(22) You see that Abraham's faith and what he did worked together. His faith was shown to be genuine by what he did.
(23) The Scripture passage came true. It says, "Abraham believed God, and that faith was regarded by God to be his approval of Abraham." So Abraham was called God's friend. [Gen. 15:6; Isa. 41:8]
(24) You see that a person receives God's approval because of what he does, not only because of what he believes.
(25) The same is true of the prostitute Rahab who welcomed the spies and sent them away on another road. She received God's approval because of what she did.
(26) A body that doesn't breathe is dead. In the same way faith that does nothing is dead.
James 2:18-26 ISV
(18) But someone may say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without any works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
(19) You believe that there is one God. That's fine! Even the demons believe that and tremble with fear.
(20) Do you want proof, you foolish person, that faith without works is worthless?
(21) Our ancestor Abraham was justified by works when he offered his son Isaac on the altar, wasn't he?
(22) You see that his faith was active with his works, and by his works faith was made complete.
(23) And so the Scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." And so he was called God's friend. [Gen. 15:6; Isa. 41:8]
(24) You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.
(25) Likewise, Rahab the prostitute was justified by works when she welcomed the messengers and sent them away on a different road, wasn't she?
(26) For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is also dead.
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You will note the reference windows often include more than one translation of the Bible. The reason is to strive to gain the best possible understanding of the original Hebrew and Greek. Since we don't speak those languages, we rely on those who have come before and made the effort to translate those texts into English for us. Considering several translations gives the benefit of the understanding of several translation committees or individuals.
The Translations we quote are:
ALT - Analytical Literal Translation
ASV - American Standard Version (by the American revision committee in 1897).
BBE - 1965 Bible in Basic English
Bishops - 1568 Bishop's Bible
CEV - Contemporary English Version
Coverdale - 1535 Miles Coverdale Bible
Darby - 1889 Darby Bible
DRB - 1899 Douay-Rheims Bible
ESV - English Standard Version
GNB - Good News Bible
GW - God's Word Bible
ISV - International Standard Version
KJV - King James Version
LitNT - Literal New Testament
LITV - Literal Translation of the Holy Bible
MKJV - Modern King James Version
Murdock - 1851 James Murdock New Testament
NWT - New World Translation
RV - Revised Version
Webster - 1833 Webster Bible
WTNT - 1525-26 William Tyndale New Testament
Wycliffe - 1394 Wycliffe Bible
YLT - Young's Literal Translation