Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of James 2:15
If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
15. If a brother or sister ] The words are not necessarily used in the sense in which they imply the profession of faith in Christ as they are, e. g., in Act 10:23; Act 11:1; 1Co 5:11. Every Israelite was to see a brother in every child of Abraham (Mat 5:23; Act 2:29; Act 3:17). All that can be said is that where the reader of the Epistle was a Christian, he would feel that the words brought before him those who were of the same society or brotherhood.
naked, and destitute of daily food ] The picture drawn is one of extremest destitution, and, like the teaching of the whole passage, reminds us of Mat 25:36; Mat 25:43. What was the faith worth which could witness that suffering and not be stirred to help? The words are applicable to all times and countries, but it gives them a special interest to remember that the Church over which St James presided had suffered, and was probably, at the very time he wrote, suffering, from the famine foretold by Agabus (Act 11:28-30). The Gentile disciples had, we read, done their best to alleviate the distress of the Churches of Juda. St James’s language, addressed to the Jews and Jewish Christians of the dispersion, would seem to imply that they had shewn less forwardness, and had wrapt themselves up in the self-satisfaction of professing the orthodox faith of the sons of Abraham, while the Gentile converts whom they despised were setting an example of self-denying charity.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
If a brother or sister be naked … – The comparison in these verses is very obvious and striking. The sense is, that faith in itself, without the acts that correspond to it, and to which it would prompt, is as cold, and heartless, and unmeaning, and useless, as it would be to say to one who was destitute of the necessaries of life, depart in peace. In itself considered, it might seem to have something that was good; but it would answer none of the purposes of faith unless it should prompt to action. In the case of one who was hungry or naked, what he wanted was not good wishes or kind words merely, but the acts to which good wishes and kind words prompt. And so in religion, what is wanted is not merely the abstract state of mind which would be indicated by faith, but the life of goodness to which it ought to lead. Good wishes and kind words, in order to make them what they should be for the welfare of the world, should be accompanied with corresponding action. So it is with faith. It is not enough for salvation without the benevolent and holy acts to which it would prompt, any more than the good wishes and kind words of the benevolent are enough to satisfy the wants of the hungry, and to clothe the naked, without correspondent action. Faith is not and cannot be shown to be genuine, unless it is accompanied with corresponding acts; as our good wishes for the poor and needy can be shown to be genuine, when we have the means of aiding them, only by actually ministering to their necessities. In the one case, our wishes would be shown to be unmeaning and heartless; in the other, our faith would be equally so. In regard to this passage, therefore, it may be observed:
(1) That in fact faith is of no more value, and has no more evidence of genuineness when it is unaccompanied with good works, than such empty wishes for the welfare of the poor would be when unaccompanied with the means of relieving their wants. Faith is designed to lead to good works. It is intended to produce a holy life; a life of activity in the service of the Saviour. This is its very essence; it is what it always produces when it is genuine. Religion is not designed to be a cold abstraction; it is to be a living and vivifying principle.
(2) There is a great deal of that kindness and charity in the world which is expressed by mere good wishes. If we really have not the means of relieving the poor and the needy, then the expression of a kind wish may be in itself an alleviation to their sorrows, for even sympathy in such a case is of value, and it is much to us to know that others feel for us; but if we have the means, and the object is a worthy one, then such expressions are mere mockery, and aggravate rather than soothe the feelings of the sufferer. Such wishes will neither clothe nor feed them; and they will only make deeper the sorrows which we ought to heal. But how much of this is there in the world, when the sufferer cannot but feel that all these wishes, however kindly expressed, are hollow and false, and when he cannot but feel that relief would be easy!
(3) In like manner there is much of this same kind of worthless faith in the world – faith that is dead; faith that produces no good works; faith that exerts no practical influence whatever on the life. The individual professes indeed to believe the truths of the gospel; he may be in the church of Christ; he would esteem it a gross calumny to be spoken of as an infidel; but as to any influence which his faith exerts over him, his life would be the same if he had never heard of the gospel. There is not one of the truths of religion which is bodied forth in his life; not a deed to which he is prompted by religion; not an act which could not be accounted for on the supposition that he has no true piety. In such a case, faith may with propriety be said to be dead.
Being alone – Margin, by itself. The sense is, being by itself: that is, destitute of any accompanying fruits or results, it shows that it is dead. That which is alive bodies itself forth, produces effects, makes itself visible; that which is dead produces no effect, and is as if it were not.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 15. If a brother or sister be naked] That is, ill-clothed; for , naked, has this meaning in several parts of the New Testament, signifying bad clothing, or the want of some particular article of dress. See Mt 25:36; Mt 25:38; Mt 25:43; Mt 25:44, and Joh 21:7. It has the same comparative signification in most languages.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
If a brother or sister; a Christian man or woman, who are frequently thus called: see 1Co 7:12,15.
Be naked; badly clothed, or destitute of such clothing as is fit for them, Job 22:6; 1Co 4:11.
And destitute of daily food: see Mat 6:11; that which is necessary for the sustaining of life a day to an end. Under these two of nakedness and hunger, he comprehends all the calamities of human life, which may be relieved by the help of others; as food and raiment contain all the ordinary supports and comforts of life, Gen 28:20; Mat 6:25; 1Ti 6:8.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
15. The Greek is, “Butif,” &c.: the “But” taking up the argument againstsuch a one as “said he had faith, and yet had not works,”which are its fruits.
a brother, &c.afellow Christian, to whom we are specially bound to give help,independent of our general obligation to help all our fellowcreatures.
beThe Greekimplies, “be found, on your access to them.”
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
If a brother or sister,…. A Christian man or woman, a fellow member of a church of Christ; for this relation is to be understood in a spiritual sense, though it does not exclude such who are in this relation in a natural sense:
be naked; or clothed in rags, or in very mean and sordid apparel, such as will neither keep them warm, nor clean and decent; for they must not be supposed to be entirely naked, but to be in a very uncomfortable and indecent garb:
and destitute of daily food; have not food sufficient for the day; or aught to support nature with, and yield them proper refreshment and nourishment.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
If a brother or sister be naked ( ). Condition again of third class (supposable case) with and present active subjunctive of , to exist, in the plural though (or) is used and not (and). Hence is masculine plural in the predicate nominative. It does not here mean absolutely naked, but without sufficient clothing as in Matt 25:36; John 21:7; Acts 19:16.
In lack of daily food ( ). Present passive participle of and ablative case like (1:5). The old adjective ( , that which is for a day) occurs here only in the N.T., though (daily routine) is found in Luke 1:5; Luke 1:8. This phrase occurs in Diodorus, but not in LXX.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Be [] . The distinction between this word and the simple einai, to be, is very subtle. The verb uJparcw originally means to make a beginning; hence, to begin or to come into being; and, though used substantially as a synonym of einai, of a thing actually existing and at hand, it has a backward look to an antecedent condition which has been protracted into the present. Thus we might paraphrase here, “If a brother or sister, having been in a destitute condition, be found by you in that condition.” Einai, on the other hand, would simply state the present fact of destitution. See on 2Pe 1:8.
Destitute [] . Lit., left behind; and hence lacking, as Rev. Compare ch. 1 4, 5. This usage of the word occurs in James only.
Daily [] . Only here in New Testament.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
Should any brother or sister become naked, grieving or destitute, failing, lacking or wanting of material needs (the ephemeral daily passing nourishment of food and clothes) what should one with faith do about it? Mercy and compassion cry “help him”. Luk 10:33-37.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
15 If a brother, or, For if a brother. He takes an example from what was connected with his subject; for he had been exhorting them to exercise the duties of love. If any one, on the contrary, boasted that he was satisfied with faith without works, he compares this shadowy faith to the saying of one who bids a famished man to be filled without supplying him with the food of which he is destitute. As, then, he who sends away a poor man with words, and offers him no help, treats him with mockery, so they who devise for themselves faith without works, and without any of the duties of religion, trifle with God. (114)
(114) This is adduced as an illustration: as the saying of a man to the naked, “Be ye clothed,” when he does nothing, effects no good, is wholly useless, so is that faith that produces no works; it being as it were dead, it cannot save.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
FAITH-ONLY IS DEAD, BEING ALONE
(EXAMPLE NO. 1)
Text 2:1517
Jas. 2:15.
If a brother or sister be naked and in lack of food,
16.
and one of you say unto them, Go in peace, be ye warmed and filled; and yet ye give them not the things needful to the body; what doth it profit?
17.
Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead in itself.
Queries
134.
Just what is dead in Jas. 2:17?
135.
Is the brother or sister of Jas. 2:15 a Christian? Would this question have any bearing on the point of the illustration?
136.
Do you think that helping the hungry or naked is the only kind of works intended to here be coupled with faith?
137.
What is the obvious expected answer to the question in Jas. 2:16?
138.
Is James arguing that people who say faith alone is enough for salvation will act this way?
139.
Do you think the person was absolutely naked when he was sent away?
140.
Explain how the action of the person who sent them away illustrates faith. (i.e. faith without works).
141.
Is James contrasting faith and works here? What is he contrasting?
142.
What doth it profit? What does the it refer to?
143.
How would we properly express Go in peace today?
Paraphrases
A. Jas. 2:15
If a Christian comes to you in threadbare clothing and hungry.
16.
and you say to him: Goodbye . . . I hope you find something to wear and something to eat! And yet you do not give him anything to wear or eat, have you helped him?
17.
In the same way your belief in Jesus, if it is not coupled with obedience, is a dead faith.
B.*Jas. 2:15
If you have a friend who is in need of food and clothing
16.
And you say to him, Well, goodbye, and God bless you stay warm and eat hearty, and then dont give him clothes or food, what good does that do?
17.
So you see, it isnt enough just to have faith. You must also do good to prove that you have faith. Faith without good deeds is dead and useless.
Comment
So then, as we have opportunity, let us work that which is good toward all men, and especially toward them that are of the household of the faith. Gal. 6:10. In Jas. 2:16 James makes the same emphasis in his illustration regarding the necessity for good works. For a Christian not to do good to members of his own family (or faith), is unthinkable. Thus, the absurdity of faith without works (i.e., compassion without mercy, Jas. 2:13) is made all the clearer. He has chosen for the illustration the one we would love the most (the Christian) and placed him in a position of most dire necessity. The naked refers to scanty clothing, or clothing which is so threadbare that it could hardly be counted as clothing. It does not mean absolutely no clothing (see margin Joh. 21:3 ASV).
The phrase go in peace is an expression of genuine concern for the needy, and is not intended to sound hollow or mocking. Rather the genuineness of the expression stands in sharp contrast with the lack of action to bring the wish about.
It may be proper here to point out the possible argument in favor of the churchs caring for its own needy. This seems to be the assumption of the context. And if intended, seems in contrast with the churchs practice of releasing its members to the government relief rolls. This is not suggesting that the man should be a cold ward of the church budget, but the help comes of genuine compassion of one brother for another.
The possibility of faith without works is made clear; but how is this faith different from the faith that does have works? James seems to indicate that the only difference is in the possession of works, (and of course the results are different). A great many seem to prefer to emphasize a kind of faith, rather than the absence of presence of works. They would seem to infer that the presence of the works is of no importance, but rather the genuineness of the faith. They would claim that it is a genuine and a sham faith that is contrasted, rather than a faith with works and a faith without works. In the next illustration James clears up the question when he affirms the devils really do believe, even to the extent of trembling!
When Jas. 2:17 points to the deadness of the faith, it is not to say the faith is non-existent; but rather it is dead and profitless as far as results are concerned. Perhaps it could be best said this way: we have no right to accuse a man of lying who said he believed but did nothing about the belief. But rather, as does James, we should encourage that man to do something about that which he professes to believe. The trouble may not be with his belief, but rather with his will-power, with his commitment, and, possibly, his love of sin.
But there is a difference in the kind of faith, for James himself says that one is a dead faith within itself, you may argue. To keep the thought in harmony with the rest of his teaching, we might put it this way: Faith, if it have not works, is dead being by itself. What is James really comparing? He is not comparing faith, with works. Nor is he really comparing two different kinds of faith, but rather he seems to be comparing a faith only (faith that is not accompanied by works) with the same faith that is not alone (faith with works). It seems to be the works that makes one dead (fruitless) and one alive (with results).
Among the faculties of the inner man (Spiritual man) are mans intellect, his will, and his emotion. With the intellect man believes, (faith). With the will man determines that which he should do, (choice). Which the emotion man is motivated to act, (deeds). Faith, if it is to bring profit must go all the way. . . from belief, to choice, to action. If your conviction goes no further than your intellect, you may have faith, but you are not a Christian! And because this faith, being alone, does not bring the hoped-for results of salvation, James calls it a dead faith.
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
(15) But (the word should be added, for it continues an argument) if a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily foodi.e., the food for each day, not that which suffices for one, or for a present distress; the case is rather of worst and direst want, so that the heart untouched by the spectacle of such misery must be hard indeed.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
15. If An illustrative case, in which a fellow Christian is to be supplied with necessaries of life. The firm faith that he will be supplied with food without accordant action will leave him to starvation. So a sentimental belief in all the charities, virtues, pieties, and moralities, will do no good to the world or to the believer until resolved into action.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘If a brother or sister be naked and in lack of daily food, and one of you say to them, “Go in peace, be you warmed and filled”, but you do not give them the things needful to the body, what does it profit (‘what is the benefit of that’)?’
Once again his thoughts turn for an illustration to the poor. He pictures a fellow Christian without proper clothing and short of nourishment, and the supposed Christian saying piously, ‘Go in peace.May God warm you and fill you’ (the passive tense regularly indicates God’s action). But of what use is that if God’s professed servant fails to warm and fill them? Who else can God use for the purpose? It is piously asking God to do what in fact He expects THEM to do. It is clearly making a mockery of God and demonstrating that they do not go along with Him either in His thoughts or in His purposes. Their faith is thus shown not to be genuine.
This accusation would fit Gentiles more than Jews, for if there was one thing that Jews were good at it was at giving alms and making provision for the poor, supporting the case that the letter is to the whole church.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Jas 2:15-16 . James illustrates the idea that faith is dependent for its proof on works, otherwise if these are wanting it is dead and profits nothing, by an example of compassion, which also, if without the corresponding works, is dead and can profit nothing. The representation of this similitude has the same form as the description of the case mentioned in Jas 2:2-3 : first, the statement of the circumstances, and then of the conduct. The particle (Lachmann, Tischendorf) is not merely transitional ( metabasis , Wiesinger), but is to be explained from the fact that in this verse the argument against the opponent brought forward commences (Schneckenburger, de Wette).
Those requiring help are by the name characterized as members of the Christian community, in order to bring out more strongly the obligation to active assistance.
By the words their destitute condition is described. There is no need to interpret by male vestitus (Laurentius, Wolf, Baumgarten, Gebser, Hottinger, Schneckenburger, de Wette, Theile, Wiesinger); it is rather nudus, naked , but is certainly also so used when there is no absolute nakedness, but when the clothing can hardly be considered as clothing. On , see chap. Jas 1:4-5 .
] in the N. T. . ., is neither = diurnus (Morus: quod in unum diem sufficit) nor = hodiernus (Hottinger); but is = (Pott, Gebser, Schneckenburger, Wiesinger).
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
Ver. 15. If a brother or a sister ] As it may befall the best to be, and they are not of the chameleon kind, to live (with Ephraim) upon wind, Hos 12:1 , to be fed with fair words, or to be clothed with a suit of compliments. Sion should be taken by the hand, Isa 51:18 . And Tyre converted, leaves hoarding and heaping up wealth, and falls to feeding and clothing God’s poor people, Isa 23:18 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
15, 16 .] The quality, and unprofitableness, of such faith shewn , as in Jas 2:2-3 , by a familiar example .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
15 .] But ( takes up the argument against the person supposed, or against his fautors: and is not, as Wiesinger, merely transitional [it is best rendered in English by beginning the sentence abruptly, not giving any word for it]) if a brother or a sister (the case of a Christian brother or sister is supposed, to bring out more strongly the obligation to help, as a duty) be (found, on your access to them: see, on and , reff.: and note, Act 16:20 ) naked (there is no need to interpret “ male vestiti ,” as so many Commentators: extreme destitution and nakedness in the literal, or almost literal sense, might well go together) and destitute of (reff.: Pind. Isthm. ii. 18, : Soph. Trach. 932, . The usage is confined to St. James in the N. T.) daily food (the food for each day, : not “ quod in unum diem sufficit ,” as Morus, nor “for the current day,” as Hottinger),
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Jas 2:15 . In accordance with the very practical nature of the writer, he now proceeds to give an illustration of his thesis which is bound to appeal; he must have been a telling preacher. : the addition of is fairly well attested, but the reading of [56]
[57] where it is omitted is to be preferred. : the specific mention of “sister” here is noteworthy; it is the one point in this passage which suggests distinctively Christian influence. This is apparently the only place in the Bible in which “sister” is mentioned in this special connection. : Cf. Test. of the Twelve Patriarchs , Zeb. xii. 1 3: “I saw a man in distress through nakedness in winter-time, and had compassion upon him, and stole away a garment secretly from my father’s house (another reading is ‘my house’), and gave it to him who was in distress. Do you, therefore, my children, from that which God bestoweth on you, show compassion and mercy without hesitation to all men, and give to every man with a good heart. And if you have not the wherewithal to give to him that needeth, have compassion for him in bowels of mercy” (Charles). Of course it is not literal nakedness that is meant in the passage before us; in the case of men the Hebrew (= ), while often used in a literal sense, is also frequently used in reference to one who was not wearing a (= ) and thus appeared only in , “under-garments,” see Amo 2:6 ; Isa 20:2 f.; Job 22:6 ; Job 24:7-10 . In the case of women, the reference is likewise to the , though in this case the garment was both longer and fuller than that of men; at the same time, it is improbable that the “sister” would have appeared without a veil, unless, indeed, we are dealing with a venue which is altogether more Western; this is a possibility which cannot be wholly excluded. : must be taken with as the addition of is poorly attested. : “the food for the day”; the words express the dire necessity of those in want. Cf. Mat 6:11 , , and Nestle’s note on in Hastings’ D.C.G. , ii. 58 a . does not occur elsewhere in the N.T. or the Septuagint.
[56] Codex Vaticanus (sc. iv.), published in photographic facsimile in 1889 under the care of the Abbate Cozza-Luzi.
[57] Codex Sinaiticus (sc. iv.), now at St. Petersburg, published in facsimile type by its discoverer, Tischendorf, in 1862.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
be. Greek. huparcho. See Luk 9:48.
destitute = lacking. Greek. leipo, as in Jam 1:4, Jam 1:5.
daily. Greek. ephemeros. Only here.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
15, 16.] The quality, and unprofitableness, of such faith shewn, as in Jam 2:2-3, by a familiar example.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Jam 2:15. , but if) A comparison (the Protasis of which, even by itself, conveys a suitable admonition, and one not foreign to the subject): hence the Epanelepsis,[22] what doth it profit? Jam 2:14; Jam 2:16.
[22] The figure Epanalepsis is the putting of the same word, or words, at the beginning of a preceding clause and at the end of a subsequent clause or member of a sentence. Thus verse 14th begins, and verse 16th ends, with the same words, What doth it profit?
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Jam 2:5, Job 31:16-21, Isa 58:7, Isa 58:10, Eze 18:7, Mat 25:35-40, Mar 14:7, Luk 3:11, Act 9:29, Heb 11:37
Reciprocal: Deu 10:19 – General Deu 15:7 – thou shalt Jdg 19:20 – let all thy wants 2Ch 28:15 – clothed Psa 112:9 – dispersed Pro 3:27 – Withhold Pro 19:7 – yet Pro 25:20 – that taketh Mat 5:42 – General Mat 6:2 – when Mat 25:42 – General Act 9:39 – and showing Rom 12:9 – love Rom 16:1 – our 1Co 7:15 – A brother 2Co 8:10 – expedient 2Co 11:27 – nakedness Gal 2:10 – that Gal 5:13 – but Eph 4:15 – speaking the truth Heb 6:10 – which Jam 2:24 – General 1Pe 1:22 – unto 1Jo 3:18 – let
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jas 2:15. The conditions mentioned designate needs that are actual and not merely some imaginary ones, so that the persons deserve assistance of their brethren.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Jas 2:15. To prove the uselessness of a barren faith, the apostle illustrates the subject by showing the uselessness of a barren charity, which every one will at once admit; and this illustration is the more appropriate, as love is the indispensable attendant on a living faiththe instrument by which it works (Gal 5:6).
If a brother or sistera Christian brother or sistera fellow-believerbringing forward more strongly our duty to assist them, and our culpability if we refuse such assistance.
be naked and destitute of daily foodbe reduced to a state of extreme destitution. By daily food is meant the food necessary for each day.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Mr. D’s Notes on James
Jam 2:15-20
If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
This verse is quite clear, if a brother or sister is naked or destitute – nothing lacking in clarity here. James sets the stage for action based on this situation.
He has made it quite clear that he is speaking of a believer that is in trouble. Years ago we heard some hollering in the street outside our home. I looked out and there was a black woman walking down the street nude. She was screaming at a man that was walking with her. She stopped in front of our house and was continuing her screaming.
I was on the phone with the 911 operator telling the woman that we had a naked black woman in the middle of the street. I guess I wasn’t clear because the operator asked “Well, what does she look like, can you describe her?” I told the operator that she was naked and that if she would just send an officer out that I was sure he could recognize her.
Clarity is the key unless you are speaking to someone that has fog in their ears.
James is clear. He wants specific action for the destitute believer – he is using this as a negative illustration, but the thought is when you see a needy believer, take care of that need, don’t send them away lacking. The term naked used here is just that, without clothes. It can describe the human body, or someone with just undergarments on. The thought of the verse is also clear that the person is destitute by no action of his own.
This can be important in this context of helping those that are in need – “need” is the key. I am not sure that help is the real need when someone is destitute by their own action – depends on what they are doing to correct their situation.
“Destitute” is a word that can be translated “lacking” or “wanting.” It is used as lack in Jam 1:5 “If any of you lack wisdom,” If you are naked, you are most likely lacking, but the lacking is probably the cause of the nakedness.
Fuente: Mr. D’s Notes on Selected New Testament Books by Stanley Derickson
2:15 {9} If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
(9) The first reason taken from a comparison: if a man says to one who is hungry “Fill your belly” and yet gives him nothing, this is not true charity. If a man says he believes and does not bring forth works of his faith, this is not true faith, but truly a dead thing called with the name of faith, of which no man has room to brag, unless he will openly incur reprehension, since the cause is understood by the effects.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
2. James’ illustration 2:15-16
As he did before (Jas 2:2-4), James provided a concrete situation to illustrate his point (Jas 2:15-16). He envisioned a situation that may very well have taken place in his church in Jerusalem where there were many poor saints (Rom 15:25-31; 1Co 16:3). All the people in the illustration seem to be genuine Christians in view of the terms James used to describe them (cf. "brethren" in Jas 1:2; Jas 2:1; Jas 2:14; Jas 3:1). The situation he described highlights the absurdity of claiming vital faith (i.e., that one is putting his faith into practice) but at the same time not working (i.e., not obeying the Word of God; cf. 1Jn 3:17-18). A benediction cannot save a starving man from death; only bread can do that.
One Greek scholar paraphrased Jas 2:14-17 as follows.
"What good does it do, my Christian brothers, if someone among you says he has faith and yet does not act on that faith? Faith certainly cannot preserve his life, can it? It would be the same thing as if one of you spoke to some Christian brother or sister who was destitute of the necessities of life and you said, ’Go home peacefully and get warmed and filled.’ But if you did not give them the very things they needed for bodily life, what good would it do? Would their lives be saved by your confident words? In the same way when faith stands all by itself, because you fail to act on it, your inactive faith is as dead as your useless words to your destitute Christian brother. It has no life-preserving power at all!" [Note: Zane C. Hodges, Dead Faith: What Is It? p. 15.]