James 2:16
What does James 2:16 mean?
A plain-English look at James 2:16 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What James 2:16 means
If a believer responds to the needy with religious-sounding well-wishes—“Go in peace, be warmed and filled”—but provides nothing to meet the need, the words are pointless. The blessing sounds spiritual but functions as a dismissal. James wants us to feel the gap between speech and service. True love does not send people away empty while congratulating itself for kindness. Faith that rests in God’s promises learns to open hands, wallets, and homes. Where there is capacity to give and no action, there is no profit, because love has not actually been done.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000and 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?
KJV
King James Version · 1611And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901and 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?
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And one of you says to them, Go in peace, be warm and full of food; but you do not give them the things of which their bodies have need, what profit is there in this?
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862and any one of you may say to them, `Depart ye in peace, be warmed, and be filled,' and may not give to them the things needful for the body, what <FI>is<Fi> the profit?
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And one of you say to them: Go in peace, be ye warmed and filled; yet give them not those things that are necessary for the body, what shall it profit?
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890and one from amongst you say to them, Go in peace, be warmed and filled; but give not to them the needful things for the body, what [is] the profit?
Context
This verse completes the illustration started in verse 15 and drives home the futility of words without deeds. It paves the way for the verdict in verse 17 that faith without works is dead. The flow is tight: need identified (v. 15), empty response exposed (v. 16), theological conclusion drawn (v. 17). From there, James will address objections and deepen the argument with examples from Scripture (vv. 18–25).
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Romans 12:9
Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
- Proverbs 3:27
Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, When it is in the power of thy hand to do it.
- Matthew 14:15
And when even was come, the disciples came to him, saying, The place is desert, and the time is already past; send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves food.
- Matthew 15:32
And Jesus called unto him his disciples, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days and have nothing to eat: and I would not send them away fasting, lest haply they faint on the way.
- 1 John 3:16
Hereby know we love, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
- Job 22:7
Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, And thou hast withholden bread from the hungry.
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