Episode 2.50

Who Said It? The Quotation Debate in James 2:18–19

What if a single pair of quotation marks changed how you understand faith and works?

In this episode of Take 2 Theology, Zach and Michael unpack one of the most overlooked translation debates in the New Testament—who’s actually speaking in James 2:18–19?

Since the original Greek had no quotation marks, translators must decide how long the “someone will say” quotation runs. Does it end quickly (like in the ESV)? Continue through verse 19 (NASB)? Or include both verses (NIV, NRSV)? Each choice changes how we hear James’s tone—rebuke, debate, or diatribe.

Covered in this episode:

– How Greek manuscripts handled quotations and voices

– The short, medium, and long quotation theories

– Why modern Bibles make different punctuation choices

– What leading commentators (Moo, Davids, Blomberg) argue

– How punctuation affects tone but not theology

In the end, James’s message stands: “Faith without works is dead.”

But understanding how he said it might change how we hear him.

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