Read the Bible
KING JAMES BIBLE · PCE

James 2:19–22

TEXT EDITION
Pure Cambridge Edition selected
Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
Share
Email linkOpen a new message in your email app
Read chapter
More
Report an issueTell us about a text or study problem

PASSAGE SELECTION

Build from either side

4 selected · 6 available

Choose up to 10 verses in this chapter. The study tools update with the selected passage.

SCRIPTURE WITH SCRIPTURE

Cross References

20 Essential passages are open for comparison.

Reference depth

From verse 19

  1. Luke 4:34Rank 1 from verse 19
    Open

    34Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God.

  2. Mark 1:24Rank 2 from verse 19
    Open

    24Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.

  3. Matthew 8:29Rank 3 from verse 19
    Open

    29And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?

  4. Acts 16:17Rank 4 from verse 19
    Open

    17The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.

  5. Deuteronomy 6:4Rank 5 from verse 19
    Open

    4Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord:

From verse 20

  1. James 2:17Rank 1 from verse 20
    Open

    17Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

  2. James 2:26Rank 2 from verse 20
    Open

    26For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

  3. Proverbs 12:11Rank 3 from verse 20
    Open

    11He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread: but he that followeth vain persons is void of understanding.

  4. Romans 1:21Rank 4 from verse 20
    Open

    21Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

  5. Galatians 6:3Rank 5 from verse 20
    Open

    3For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.

From verse 21

  1. Genesis 22:16–18Rank 1 from verse 21
    Open

    16And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:

    17That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;

    18And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.

  2. Genesis 22:9–12Rank 2 from verse 21
    Open

    9And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.

    10And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.

    11And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.

    12And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.

  3. John 8:39Rank 3 from verse 21
    Open

    39They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham.

  4. Matthew 12:37Rank 4 from verse 21
    Open

    37For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

  5. Romans 4:16Rank 5 from verse 21
    Open

    16Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,

From verse 22

  1. 1 Thessalonians 1:3Rank 1 from verse 22
    Open

    3Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;

  2. Hebrews 11:17–19Rank 2 from verse 22
    Open

    17By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,

    18Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:

    19Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.

  3. 1 John 2:5Rank 3 from verse 22
    Open

    5But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.

  4. Galatians 5:6Rank 4 from verse 22
    Open

    6For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

  5. 1 John 4:17–18Rank 5 from verse 22
    Open

    17Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

    18There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

WORDS IN THIS PASSAGE

Definitions

Open a word for its full definition and concordance.

DEFINED WORDS

James 2:19

COMBINED MEANING

thou

↗

The singular second-person subject pronoun, meaning you when directly addressing one person, being, or individually treated addressee.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

believest

↗

Second-person singular present form of believe. Sense 1: To accept as true on testimony or evidence; to be persuaded. Sense 2: To trust or place confidence in.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

believe

↗

Sense 1: To accept as true on testimony or evidence; to be persuaded. Sense 2: To trust or place confidence in.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

DEFINED WORDS

James 2:20

COMBINED MEANING

but

↗

Sense 1: However; marking contrast or qualification. Sense 2: Except or unless; excluding all others or alternatives. Sense 3: Only; no more than what follows.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Skeat 1893 · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

wilt

↗

Sense 1: Second-person singular present form of will: choosest, intendest, or art disposed to. Sense 2: As an auxiliary, marks future action.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

thou

↗

The singular second-person subject pronoun, meaning you when directly addressing one person, being, or individually treated addressee.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

know

↗

To perceive, understand, recognize, experience, or be assured of something.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

vain

↗

Empty, fruitless, ineffective, unprofitable, worthless, false, unsubstantial, or conceited.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

man

↗

1. A human being or person. 2. Mankind collectively. 3. A male person.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

faith

↗

Sense 1: The substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen; trust, confidence, belief, persuasion, or reliance. Sense 2: Faithfulness, fidelity, or trustworthiness. Sense 3: The revealed truth or gospel believed and kept.

Meaning drawn from: Direct Scripture definition · KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

without

↗

Outside or on the exterior; beyond a boundary; lacking, absent, free from, not accompanied by, or apart from the person, thing, condition, means, or relation named.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

works

↗

Plural of work: acts, deeds, labours, operations, products, or things made.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

dead

↗

Sense 1: Without life; deprived of life. Sense 2: Lifeless, inactive, insensible, or separated from a former state by figure.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

DEFINED WORDS

James 2:21

COMBINED MEANING

Abraham

↗

The patriarch formerly named Abram, whom God appointed to be a father of many nations.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

father

↗

Sense 1: A male parent or begetter. Sense 2: An ancestor, forefather, founder, source, originator, chief, elder, or one bearing paternal authority and care. Sense 3: God as Father, including the Father of Jesus Christ and of those described as his children.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

justified

↗

1. Declared righteous or acquitted. 2. Shown or proved to be right. 3. Comparatively shown to be more righteous.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

works

↗

Plural of work: acts, deeds, labours, operations, products, or things made.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

offered

↗

Past-tense, participial, or adjectival form of offer, meaning to present, bring, give, propose, or attempt.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

son

↗

1. A male child or descendant. 2. One belonging to, related to, or characterized by the person, people, place, condition, or quality named.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

upon

↗

1. Marks the person, place, thing, or basis to which something is related: on or onto; above or over; toward or against as the target of action, speech, thought, attention, or force; resting on, assigned to, or affecting as a state, gift, burden, duty, guilt, or judgment; supported by or based on; or one placed, added, or repeated on or after another. 2. With a stated time or occasion, or a preceding event, at that time or point, or at or after that event: on, at, when, then, or following it.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

DEFINED WORDS

James 2:22

COMBINED MEANING

thou

↗

The singular second-person subject pronoun, meaning you when directly addressing one person, being, or individually treated addressee.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

faith

↗

Sense 1: The substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen; trust, confidence, belief, persuasion, or reliance. Sense 2: Faithfulness, fidelity, or trustworthiness. Sense 3: The revealed truth or gospel believed and kept.

Meaning drawn from: Direct Scripture definition · KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

wrought

↗

Worked, laboured, acted, made, formed, fashioned, performed, produced, or brought about.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

works

↗

Plural of work: acts, deeds, labours, operations, products, or things made.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

made

↗

Formed, caused, prepared, appointed, or brought into a stated condition.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

perfect

↗

Complete, whole, sound, mature, upright, fully fitted, finished, exact, or lacking nothing required for the person, work, knowledge, state, purpose, or standard in view; to perfect is to bring to that intended completion or maturity.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

FOLLOW THE THEME

Related Concepts

Choose a connected KJV word or phrase to find where it appears in scripture.

READ BEFORE AND AFTER

Surrounding Verses

Nearby Scripture remains separate from the selected passage until you add it.

18Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

19Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

Selected passage

20But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

Selected passage

21Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?

Selected passage

22Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?

Selected passage

23And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

LOCAL PASTOR DIRECTORY

Find a Pastor Near You

Enter a U.S. ZIP code to find nearby pastors committed to holding fast the faithful word.

Your ZIP is processed in this browser from local data. It is not sent to a ZIP lookup service or to a church. ZIP coordinates from GeoNames, licensed under CC BY 4.0.