# Is "faith without works is dead" in the Big Book?

**In short:**
- Yes. It appears three times in the Big Book's program text, not once: in "Bill's Story" (p. 14) and twice in Chapter 6, "Into Action" (pp. 76 and 88).
- Each time it points to action that follows: working with other alcoholics (p. 14), making amends (p. 76), and the Twelfth Step (p. 88).
- The saying is usually traced to the New Testament's Letter of James. The Big Book never names a source. It uses the line as A.A.'s own.
- None of the personal stories use the phrase.

## Where it is

A search of the whole fourth-edition text finds the phrase in three places, all in the first 164 pages:

1. **"Bill's Story," p. 14.** Bill's friend, who brought him the message, stressed working with others as he had worked with Bill. "Faith without works was dead, he said" (p. 14). Bill adds that this was "appallingly true for the alcoholic" and explains why: an alcoholic who doesn't work for others won't survive the hard times, and "If he did not work, he would surely drink again, and if he drank, he would surely die" (p. 15).
2. **Chapter 6, p. 76.** Right after the Seventh Step prayer: "Now we need more action, without which we find that 'Faith without works is dead'" (p. 76). The next lines start Steps Eight and Nine, making amends.
3. **Chapter 6, p. 88.** The chapter's last lines: "There is action and more action. 'Faith without works is dead.' The next chapter is entirely devoted to Step Twelve" (p. 88).

It's often cited only to page 88. The text shows the phrase on pages 14 and 76 as well.

## What "works" means here

Each time, the "works" are definite actions and mostly toward other people:
- In Bill's story, the works are "work and self-sacrifice for others" (p. 15), and especially carrying the message to other alcoholics (p. 14).
- On p. 76 they are the amends of Steps Eight and Nine.
- On p. 88 they are the work of Chapter 7, finding and helping an alcoholic who is still drinking.

Chapter 7 says the same thing in other words when it describes a newcomer who already has religious faith. He may show "that faith alone is insufficient. To be vital, faith must be accompanied by self sacrifice and unselfish, constructive action" (p. 93). Bill's story closes on the same note: faith has to work in and through us all day, every day, or we perish (p. 16).

## The Bible connection

The words are usually traced to a verse in the New Testament's Letter of James . The Big Book doesn't name a source: the only James mentioned in the main text or the appendices is the psychologist William James (pp. 28, 567). So the honest answer to "is it just a Bible verse?" is that it's both. The Big Book took the line over and tied it to its own program of action.

## Read it yourself
- Chapter 1 (pp. 1–16), "Bill's Story": https://www.aa.org/sites/default/files/2021-11/en_bigbook_chapt1.pdf
- Chapter 6 (pp. 72–88), "Into Action": https://www.aa.org/sites/default/files/2021-11/en_bigbook_chapt6.pdf
- Chapter 7 (pp. 89–103), "Working With Others": https://www.aa.org/sites/default/files/2021-11/en_bigbook_chapt7.pdf
- The full book is sold by A.A. World Services: https://onlineliterature.aa.org

## Sources
| Source | Pages | First published |
|---|---|---|
| *Alcoholics Anonymous*, whole fourth-edition text (searched) | — | 1939 text; fourth edition 2001 |
| Chapter 1, "Bill's Story" | 14–16 | 1939 |
| Chapter 6, "Into Action" | 76, 88 | 1939 |
| Chapter 7, "Working With Others" | 93 | 1939 |

*Recovery Starts is independent and not affiliated with Alcoholics Anonymous. Quotations are brief and cited; the Big Book is © A.A. World Services, Inc.*