King James Bible
"Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone."
James asserts that genuine faith naturally produces visible actions and good deeds. The conditional structure emphasizes that faith without corresponding behavior lacks authenticity, directly challenging any notion that mere intellectual assent constitutes saving faith. The metaphor of death indicates complete lifelessness and uselessness—such faith cannot save or accomplish anything. James uses this stark image to show that workless faith is not merely weak but entirely devoid of spiritual vitality. This phrase clarifies that faith isolated from works exists in an unnatural state of separation. True faith and works are meant to be inseparable companions, and when faith stands alone, it reveals itself as counterfeit or incomplete.