Devine Scripture

James 2:15

What does James 2:15 mean?

A plain-English look at James 2:15 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What James 2:15 means

James introduces a concrete case: a brother or sister lacking proper clothing and daily food. The need is immediate, ongoing, and bodily. By naming them as family in the faith, James heightens responsibility. This is not a hypothetical charity project but the basic care of fellow believers. The scenario draws faith down from abstraction to the pantry and the closet. It asks whether our trust in God’s mercy spills over into tangible mercy toward those He calls our own. Real faith sees Christ’s people in their need and moves toward them with practical help.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

If a brother or sister be naked and in lack of daily food,

KJV

King James Version · 1611

If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

If a brother or sister be naked and in lack of daily food,

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

If a brother or a sister is without clothing and in need of the day's food,

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

and if a brother or sister may be naked, and may be destitute of the daily food,

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And if a brother or sister be naked and want daily food:

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

Now if a brother or a sister is naked and destitute of daily food,

Context

This example develops the questions raised in verse 14. Verse 15 paints the need in simple strokes, so that verse 16 can expose the emptiness of pious words that do nothing. The pairing sets up James’s assessment in verse 17 that faith without works is dead. By focusing on a fellow believer, James intensifies the force of the example and ties it back to the earlier call to mercy and neighbor-love (vv. 8–13).

v.14What doth it profit, my brethren, if a man say he hath faith, but have not works? can that faith save him?

v.15This passage

v.16and one of you say unto them, Go in peace, be ye warmed and filled; and yet ye give them not the things needful to the body; what doth it profit?

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Job 31:16

    If I have withheld the poor fromtheirdesire, Or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail,

  • James 2:5

    Hearken, my beloved brethren; did not God choose them that are poor as to the world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to them that love him?

  • Isaiah 58:7

    Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?

  • Matthew 25:35

    for I was hungry, and ye gave me to eat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me in;

  • Luke 3:11

    And he answered and said unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath food, let him do likewise.

  • Mark 14:7

    For ye have the poor always with you, and whensoever ye will ye can do them good: but me ye have not always.

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