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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. AT: "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." AT: "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." AT: "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"
stay warm
This means either "have enough clothes to wear" or "have a place to sleep." (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy)
be filled
The thing that fills them is food. This can be stated explicitly. AT: "be filled with food" or "have enough to eat" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit)
for the body
to eat, to wear, and to live comfortably (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy)
what good is that?
James uses a rhetorical question to teach his audience. AT: "that is not good." (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion)
brother or sister
a fellow believer in Christ, whether male or female
faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead
James speaks of faith as if it were alive if one does good works, and of faith as if it were dead if one does not do good deeds. This can be restated to remove the abstract nouns "faith" and "works." AT: "a person who says he believes God, but does not do what God commands, does not really believe God" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor and rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns)