Good News Translation w/ Apocrypha GNTA
New International Version NIV
14 My friends, what good is it for one of you to say that you have faith if your actions do not prove it? Can that faith save you?
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What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?
15 Suppose there are brothers or sisters who need clothes and don't have enough to eat.
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Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food.
16 What good is there in your saying to them, "God bless you! Keep warm and eat well!" - if you don't give them the necessities of life?
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If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?
17 So it is with faith: if it is alone and includes no actions, then it is dead.
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In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
18 But someone will say, "One person has faith, another has actions." My answer is, "Show me how anyone can have faith without actions. I will show you my faith by my actions."
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But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.
19 Do you believe that there is only one God? Good! The demons also believe - and tremble with fear.
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You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
20 You fool! Do you want to be shown that faith without actions is useless?
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You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless ?
21 How was our ancestor Abraham put right with God? It was through his actions, when he offered his son Isaac on the altar.
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Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?
22 Can't you see? His faith and his actions worked together; his faith was made perfect through his actions.
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You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.
23 And the scripture came true that said, "Abraham believed God, and because of his faith God accepted him as righteous." And so Abraham was called God's friend.
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And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend.
24 You see, then, that it is by our actions that we are put right with God, and not by our faith alone.
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You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.
25 It was the same with the prostitute Rahab. She was put right with God through her actions, by welcoming the Israelite spies and helping them to escape by a different road.
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In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?
26 So then, as the body without the spirit is dead, also faith without actions is dead.
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As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.