For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
What does James 2:26 mean?
Those are wrong who put a mere notional belief of the gospel for the whole of evangelical religion, as many now do.
Key themes
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Keep this verse inside James 2:25-26 and alongside a few nearby related passages.
Commentary on James 2:26
For as the body without the spirit is dead - Margin, "breath." The Greek word πνευμα pneuma is commonly used to denote spirit or soul, as referring to the intelligent nature. The meaning here is the obvious one, that the body is animated or kept alive by the presence of the soul, and that when that is withdrawn, hope departs. The body has no life independent of the presence of the soul. So faith without works is dead also - There is as much necessity that faith and works should be united to constitute true religion, as there is that the body and soul should be united to constitute a living man.
Key words
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For as the body without the spirit is dead,.
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For as the body without the spirit is dead,.
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For as the body without the spirit is dead,.
Context in James 2
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James 2 belongs to the early movement of the book, especially the section often described as hearing and doing the word. James is a wisdom-shaped epistle about testing, speech, wealth, impartiality, works, prayer, and practical holiness. Read this chapter with the wider themes of works, wisdom, and speech in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.
Related topics
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Passages on trusting God, receiving Christ, persevering without sight, and the relation between faith and lived obedience.
Passages on asking, persistence, confession, dependence, and the way prayer shapes Christian life and attention.
Verses on the fear of the Lord, wise speech, practical judgment, teachability, and the difference between biblical wisdom and mere cleverness.