James 2:15
in James 2Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
If a brother or sister be naked and in lack of daily food,
KJV
If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
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This verse in James 2
Commentary
9 notes on this verseThese are the words of faith, spoken to those who know that there is only one God, who is the Father of all his children. True love has two sides to it—help for the body and help for the soul. Here James concentrates on the …
This site's exposition
Can such faith save him?
on James 2:14-17
Someone claims to have faith, but has no deeds, and James asks, Can such faith save him? A brother or sister without clothes and daily food is sent off with stay warm and well fed. So too, faith by itself, if it does not result in action, is dead.
This site's exposition
a brother or sister
The case answers a claim of faith with no deeds. The one in need is a brother or sister, a fellow believer, without clothes and daily food. Good words spoken to such a one are as cold and useless as a faith that does nothing.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
But if a brother or sister is naked and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them: Go in peace, be warmed and filled, but you do not give them the things that are necessary for the body, what does it profit? …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Will you come before God with such empty shows of charity as these? You might as well pretend that your love and charity will stand the test without acts of mercy as think that a profession of faith will bear you out before God without works of piety and obedience. Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being along, "
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes
If a brother or sister,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
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.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
The Greek is, "But if," &c.: the "But" taking up the argument against such a one as "said he had faith, and yet had not works," which are its fruits. a brother, &c.--a fellow Christian, to whom we are specially bound to give help, independent of our general obligation to help all our fellow creatures. be--The Greek implies, "be found, on your access to them."
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
If a brother or sister be naked - That is, ill-clothed; for γυμνος, naked, has this meaning in several parts of the New Testament, signifying bad clothing, or the want of some particular article of dress. See Mat 25:36, Mat 25:38, Mat 25:43, Mat 25:44, and Joh 21:7. It has the same comparative signification in most languages.
The words behind it
11 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἐὰν | ean | Now if | G1437 → | 352 times |
| ἀδελφὸς | adelphos | a brother | G80 → | 343 times |
| ἢ | e | or | G2228 → | 342 times |
| ἀδελφὴ | adelphe | a sister | G79 → | |
| γυμνοὶ | gumnoi | without clothes | G1131 → | |
| ὑπάρχωσιν | huparchosin | shall be | G5225 → | |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| λειπόμενοι | leipomenoi | lacking | G3007 → | 6 times |
| τῆς | tes | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἐφημέρου | ephemerou | of daily | G2184 → | |
| τροφῆς, | trophes | food, | G5160 → |
ἐὰνNow if
eanG1437 →352 times
ἀδελφὸςa brother
adelphosG80 →343 times
ἢor
eG2228 →342 times
ἀδελφὴa sister
adelpheG79 →
γυμνοὶwithout clothes
gumnoiG1131 →
ὑπάρχωσινshall be
huparchosinG5225 →
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
λειπόμενοιlacking
leipomenoiG3007 →6 times
τῆς<the>
tesG3588 →19766 times
ἐφημέρουof daily
ephemerouG2184 →
τροφῆς,food,
trophesG5160 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Isaiah 58:7Isn’t it to share your bread with the hungry, to bring the poor and homeless into your home, to clothe the naked when you see him, and not to turn away from your own…
it leads to
- Matthew 25:35–45
For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you took Me in,
- Luke 3:11
John replied, “Whoever has two tunics should share with him who has none, and whoever has food should do the same.”
- Ezekiel 18:7
He does not oppress another, but restores the pledge to the debtor. He does not commit robbery, but gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing.
- 1 John 3:17–18
If anyone with earthly possessions sees his brother in need, but withholds his compassion from him, how can the love of God abide in him?
- Proverbs 28:27
Whoever gives to the poor will not be in need, but he who hides his eyes will receive many curses.
- Matthew 25:35–45
Through
Luke 3:11John replied, “Whoever has two tunics should share with him who has none, and whoever has food should do the same.”
it leads to
- Isaiah 58:7–11
Isn’t it to share your bread with the hungry, to bring the poor and homeless into your home, to clothe the naked when you see him, and not to turn away from your own…
- 1 John 3:17
If anyone with earthly possessions sees his brother in need, but withholds his compassion from him, how can the love of God abide in him?
- Isaiah 58:7–11
Through
Isaiah 58:10and if you give yourself to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul, then your light will go forth in the darkness, and your night will be like noonday.
it leads to
- Proverbs 11:24–25
One gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds what is right, only to become poor.
- Proverbs 11:24–25
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About James
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Commentary on the Catholic Epistles; Hilary of Arles, INTRODUCTORY TRACTATE ON THE LETTER OF JAMES; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.