James 2:23

James 2:23 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
• New International Version (NIV)And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend.
• English Standard Version (ESV)and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness"—and he was called a friend of God.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God.

Context of James 2:23

21Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? 22Thou seest that faith wrought with his works, and that by works faith was perfected. And the scripture was fulfilled which says, Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness, and he was called Friend of God. 24Ye see that a man is justified on the principle of works, and not on the principle of faith only. 25But was not in like manner also Rahab the harlot justified on the principle of works, when she had received the messengers and put [them] forth by another way?

James 2:23 word by word

καὶ ἐπληρώθη ἡ γραφὴ ἡ λέγουσα· ἐπίστευσεν δὲ Ἀβραὰμ τῷ θεῷ καὶ ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην καὶ φίλος θεοῦ ἐκλήθη.Read the interlinear

• scriptureγραφήgraphē · a writingG1124
• saysλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• AbrahamἈβραάμAbraam · AbrahamG11
• believedπιστεύωpisteuō · to trust (in)G4100
• Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• reckonedλογίζομαιlogizomai · to countG3049
• righteousnessδικαιοσύνηdikaiosunē · righteousnessG1343
• calledκαλέωkaleō · to call: callG2564
• Friendφίλοςphilos · friendly/friendG5384

Cross-references for James 2:23

• Mark 12:10Have ye not even read this scripture, The stone which they that builded rejected, this has become the corner-stone:
• Mark 15:28[And the scripture was fulfilled which says, And he was reckoned with the lawless.]
• Luke 4:21And he began to say to them, To-day this scripture is fulfilled in your ears.
• Acts 1:16Brethren, it was necessary that the scripture should have been fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before, by the mouth of David, concerning Judas, who became guide to those who took Jesus;
• Romans 9:17For the scripture says to Pharaoh, For this very thing I have raised thee up from amongst [men], that I might thus shew in thee my power, and so that my name should be declared in all the earth.
• Romans 11:2God has not cast away his people whom he foreknew. Know ye not what the scripture says in [the history of] Elias, how he pleads with God against Israel?
• Galatians 3:8and the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the nations on the principle of faith, announced beforehand the glad tidings to Abraham: In thee all the nations shall be blessed.
• 2 Timothy 3:16Every scripture [is] divinely inspired, and profitable for teaching, for conviction, for correction, for instruction in righteousness;
• 1 Peter 2:6Because it is contained in the scripture: Behold, I lay in Zion a corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believes on him shall not be put to shame.
• Genesis 15:6And he believed Jehovah; and he reckoned it to him [as] righteousness.
• Romans 4:3for what does the scripture say? And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.
• Galatians 3:6Even as Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.
• Exodus 33:11And Jehovah spoke with Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend. And he returned to the camp; but his attendant, Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, departed not from within the tent.
• 2 Chronicles 20:7Hast not thou, our God, dispossessed the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and given it for ever to the seed of Abraham, thy friend?
• Job 16:21Oh that there were arbitration for a man with God, as a son of man for his friend!
• Isaiah 41:8But thou, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham, my friend

Commentaries on James 2:23

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23The scripture was fulfilled - He believed God; this faith was never inactive, it was accounted to him for righteousness: and being justified by thus believing, his life of obedience showed that he had not received the grace of God in vain. See the notes on Genesis 15:6; Romans 4:3; (note); Galatians 3:6; (note); where this subject is largely explained. The friend of God - The highest character ever given to man. As among friends every thing is in common…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23And the Scripture was fulfilled which saith - That is, the fair and full meaning of the language of Scripture was expressed by this act, showing in the highest sense that his faith was genuine; or the declaration that he truly believed, was confirmed or established by this act. His faith was shown to be genuine; and the fair meaning of the declaration that he believed God was carried out in the subsequent act. The passage here referred to occurs in…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 14-26Verses 14-26 Those are wrong who put a mere notional belief of the gospel for the whole of evangelical religion, as many now do. No doubt, true faith alone, whereby men have part in Christ's righteousness, atonement, and grace, saves their souls; but it produces holy fruits, and is shown to be real by its effect on their works; while mere assent to any form of doctrine, or mere historical belief of any facts, wholly differs from this saving faith. A bare…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 23the Scripture was fulfilled: James saw the offering of Isaac in Genesis 22 as fulfilling the pledge of the faith of Abraham and the declaration of God that Abraham was righteous (quoted from Genesis 15:6). he was called a friend of God: James emphasizes that faith is a relationship of complete loyalty (James 1:5–8; 4:4; John 15:15).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2323. scripture was fulfilled--Ge 15:6, quoted by Paul, as realized in Abraham's justification by faith; but by James, as realized subsequently in Abraham's work of offering Isaac, which, he says, justified him. Plainly, then, James must mean by works the same thing as Paul means by faith, only that he speaks of faith at its manifested development, whereas Paul speaks of it in its germ. Abraham's offering of Isaac was not a mere act of obedience, but an act…Read the comment

Topics related to James 2:23

• Abraham
• Faith
• Hypocrisy
• Justification
• Quotations and Allusions
• Religion
• Righteousness

In the dictionaries

• Abraham
• God
• Abraham, Abram
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Convince
• Dead
• Draw
• Justify
• Offend
• Respect

Commentaries on James 2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings