17 Thus also faith, if it does not have works, is dead by itself.
18 But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works."Some see the quotation by "someone" extending to the end of v. 18, while others see it extending through v. 19 Show me your faith apart from your*Literally "the"; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun works, and I will show you my*Literally "the"; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun faith by my works. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe, and shudder! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he*Here "when" is supplied as a component of the participle ("offered up") which is understood as temporal offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that faith was working together with his works, and by the works the faith was perfected. 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "And Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness,"A quotation from Gen 15:6 and he was called God’s friend. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 And likewise was not Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she*Here "when" is supplied as a component of the participle ("welcomed") which is understood as temporal welcomed the messengers and sent them out by a different route? 26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.