St. Paul National Bible Test Practice

That statement about faith needing works to be alive comes from the Epistle of James. James 2:17 (and later 2:26) shows that faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by actions, is dead. The point is that genuine faith proves itself through what we do—acts of love, mercy, and obedience—so belief alone without deeds isn’t living faith.

Romans and Galatians focus on justification by faith apart from works of the law, addressing different concerns, while Hebrews encourages endurance and offers many examples of faith. But the exact line about faith needing works is a hallmark of James.