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Connecting Statement:
James encourages the scattered believers to show their faith before others, just as Abraham showed others his faith by his works.
What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith, but he has no works?
James is using a rhetorical question to teach his audience. Alternate translation: "It is no good at all, fellow believers, if someone says he has faith, but he has no works." (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion)
if someone says he has faith, but he has no works
The can be restated to remove the abstract nouns "faith" and "works." Alternate translation: "if someone says he believes in God but he does not do what God commands" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns)
Can that faith save him?
James is using a rhetorical question to teach his audience. This can be restated to remove the abstract noun "faith." Alternate translation: "That faith cannot save him." or "If a person does not do what God commands, then just saying he believes in God will not save him." (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion and rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns)
save him
"spare him from God's judgment"