James 2:25

James 2:25 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
• New International Version (NIV)In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?
• English Standard Version (ESV)And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way?
• New King James Version (NKJV)Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?

Context of James 2:25

23The Bible tells us what happened. It says, ‘Abraham believed God. As a result, God accepted Abraham as right with him.’ God also called Abraham his friend. 24So you see how God accepts someone as right with himself. That person must not only believe in God. He must also do good things to show that he has faith. It was the same with Rahab, long ago. She was a prostitute. She helped some of God's people who came to her house. She kept them safe from their enemies and she sent them away again by a different road. Because she did those good things, God accepted her as right with himself. 26If our bodies have no spirit, they are dead. In the same way, if our faith does not lead us to do good things, it is dead.

James 2:25 word by word

Ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ Ῥαὰβ ἡ πόρνη οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων ἐδικαιώθη ὑποδεξαμένη τοὺς ἀγγέλους καὶ ἑτέρᾳ ὁδῷ ἐκβαλοῦσα;Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·δέde · thenG1161
• Likewiseὁμοίωςhomoiōs · similarlyG3668
• alsoκαίkai · andG2532
• wasδικαιόωdikaioō · to justifyG1344
• notοὐou · noG3756
• RahabῬαάβRhaab · RahabG4460
• the harlotὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the harlotπόρνηpornē · prostituteG4204
• byἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• worksἔργονergon · workG2041
• when she had receivedὑποδέχομαιhupodechomai · to receiveG5264
• the messengersἄγγελοςaggelos · angel: messengerG32
• had sentἐκβάλλωekballō · to expelG1544
• anotherἕτεροςheteros · otherG2087
• wayὁδόςhodos · roadG3598

Cross-references for James 2:25

• Joshua 2:1Then Joshua sent two men to go out from Shittim. He sent them in secret to see what the land was like. He told them, ‘Go! Look at all the land. Look very carefully at Jericho city.’ When they came to Jericho city, they arrived at the house of a prostitute. Her name was Rahab. They stayed there.
• Matthew 1:5Salmon was the father of Boaz. Rahab was his mother. Boaz was the father of Obed. Ruth was his mother. Obed was the father of Jesse.
• Matthew 21:31Tell me, which of the man's sons did what his father wanted?’ The Jewish leaders replied, ‘The older son did what his father wanted.’ Jesus said to them, ‘I tell you this: The men who take taxes from people are going into the kingdom of God before you. It is the same with prostitutes. They also are going into the kingdom of God before you.
• James 2:18Someone may say, ‘You believe in God, but I do good things to help people.’ Then I would say, ‘You cannot show me that you believe in God if you do not do good things. I do good things, and that shows that I really believe in God.’
• Joshua 2:19If any of them leaves your house, they may die. If that happens, we will not be guilty. We will only be guilty if our soldiers hurt anyone who is in your house.
• Joshua 6:17The city and everything that is in it belongs to the Lord, so destroy it all. Only the prostitute Rahab and all the people who are with her in her house will live. This is because she hid the two men that we sent.
• Hebrews 11:31Rahab, who had been a prostitute in Jericho, also trusted God. She helped the men from Israel who had come to that city earlier. They wanted to discover how to attack the city. Rahab was kind to them. As a result of her faith, she did not die with all the other people in Jericho who did not obey God.

Commentaries on James 2:25

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 25Rahab the harlot - See the notes on Joshua 2:1, etc., and Hebrews 11:31; (note), etc. Rahab had the approbation due to genuine faith, which she actually possessed, and gave the fullest proof that she did so by her conduct. As justification signifies, not only the pardon of sin, but receiving the Divine approbation, James seems to use the word in this latter sense. God approved of them, because of their obedience to his will; and he approves of no man who…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 25Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works? - In the same sense in which Abraham was, as explained above - showing by her act that her faith was genuine, and that it was not a mere cold and speculative assent to the truths of religion. Her act showed that she truly believed God. If that act had not been performed, the fact would have shown that her faith was not genuine, and she could not have been justified. God saw her faith as it was; he…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. 25James uses Rahab the prostitute (see Joshua 2:1) as an example that good deeds must accompany true faith. She declared her belief that the Lord God of Israel was the only God (Joshua 2:9–11). Her actions completed her faith. This happened when she hosted and helped the Israelite spies escape (Joshua 2:1–6; 6:25; Hebrews 11:31).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2525. It is clear from the nature of Rahab's act, that it is not quoted to prove justification by works as such. She believed assuredly what her other countrymen disbelieved, and this in the face of every improbability that an unwarlike few would conquer well-armed numbers. In this belief she hid the spies at the risk of her life. Hence He 11:31 names this as an example of faith, rather than of obedience. "By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them…Read the comment

Topics related to James 2:25

• Faith
• Hypocrisy
• Rahab
• Religion
• Righteousness

In the dictionaries

• Rahab
• Rahab, or Rachab
• Convince
• Dead
• Draw
• Harlot
• Justify
• Offend
• Respect
• Rich

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