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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 abstract nouns "faith" and "works" can be expressed with the verbs "believe" and "do." Alternate translation: "if someone says he believes in God but does not do anything as a result of his belief" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns)
works
Here "works" refers to things people do because they believe in God, such as obeying God and doing good to others.
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 is good and right, 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"