James 2:18 — Compare Translations

But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.

27 words · Balance of accuracy and readability

Yea, 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. ^{without: some copies read, by}

34 words · Formal / word-for-word

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 by my works.

29 words · Essentially literal

Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.”

38 words · Thought-for-thought clarity

I can already hear one of you agreeing by saying, "Sounds good. You take care of the faith department, I'll handle the works department." Not so fast. You can no more show me your works apart from your faith than I can show you my faith apart from my works. Faith and works, works and faith, fit together hand in glove.

61 words · Contemporary paraphrase

But someone may [well] say, 'You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.'

29 words · Most literal English translation