James Chapter 2 verse 17 Holy Bible
Even so faith, if it have not works, is dead in itself.
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Even so faith without works is dead.
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So also faith, if it have not works, is dead by itself.
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Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
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read chapter 2 in WBT
Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead in itself.
read chapter 2 in WEB
so also the faith, if it may not have works, is dead by itself.
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Pulpit Commentary
Pulpit CommentaryVerse 17. - Being alone (καθ ἑαυτήν); R.V., in itself. But the rendering of the A.V. appears to be justified by the LXX. in Genesis 43:31, Παρέθηκαν αὐτῷ μόνῳ καὶ αὐτοῖς καθ ἑαυτούς κ.τ.λ..
Ellicott's Commentary
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(17) Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.--Better, like the margin, is dead in its own self. If to be childless among women were a curse in Israel, so to be barren among God's graces is the condemnation of faith in Christendom. And St. Paul, in substantial harmony with this assertion of his brother Apostle, declares (Romans 2:13) "Not the hearers of the Law are just before God, but the doers of the Law shall be justified." There had been no lack of charity under the earlier Jewish teaching; in fact, "righteousness" in many passages of Holy Writ, and in the paraphrases for the unlearned, called the Targums, was explained to be "almsgiving." But the whole system of Rabbinism seems gradually to have destroyed the spiritual life of its scholars; and amongst them now was fast spreading the doctrine of a sterile faith. In the revival of Monotheism under the sword of the prophet of Mecca, the faith of Abraham once more shone in the creed of his descendants; though, alas! the sons of Ishmael, and not Isaac the chosen: and the Muhammedans tell us still that if fasting and prayer bring the believer to the gates of Paradise, alms will let him in.
