James 2:22

James 2:22 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
• New International Version (NIV)You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.
• English Standard Version (ESV)You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works;
• New King James Version (NKJV)Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?

Context of James 2:22

20You fool! Do you have to be shown that faith which does nothing is useless? 21Didn’t our ancestor Abraham receive God’s approval as a result of what he did when he offered his son Isaac as a sacrifice on the altar? You see that Abraham’s faith and what he did worked together. His faith was shown to be genuine by what he did. 23The Scripture passage came true. It says, “Abraham believed God, and that faith was regarded as the basis of Abraham’s approval by God.” So Abraham was called God’s friend. 24You see that a person receives God’s approval because of what he does, not only because of what he believes.

James 2:22 word by word

βλέπεις ὅτι ἡ πίστις συνήργει τοῖς ἔργοις αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἔργων ἡ πίστις ἐτελειώθη;Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Seest thouβλέπωblepō · to seeG991
• howὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• faithὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• faithπίστιςpistis · faithG4102
• wrought withσυνεργέωsunergeō · to work withG4903
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• worksἔργονergon · workG2041
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• byἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• wasτελειόωteleioō · to perfectG5048

Cross-references for James 2:22

• James 2:18Another person might say, “You have faith, but I do good things.” Show me your faith apart from the good things you do. I will show you my faith by the good things I do.
• Galatians 5:6As far as our relationship to Christ Jesus is concerned, it doesn’t matter whether we are circumcised or not. But what matters is a faith that expresses itself through love.
• Hebrews 11:17When God tested Abraham, faith led him to offer his son Isaac. Abraham, the one who received the promises from God, was willing to offer his only son as a sacrifice.
• 1 John 2:5But whoever obeys what Christ says is the kind of person in whom God’s love is perfected. That’s how we know we are in Christ.
• 1 John 4:17God’s love has reached its goal in us. So we look ahead with confidence to the day of judgment. While we are in this world, we are exactly like him ⌞with regard to love⌟.

Commentaries on James 2:22

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 22Seest thou how faith wrought - Here is a proof that faith cannot exist without being active in works of righteousness. His faith in God would have been of no avail to him, had it not been manifested by works; for by works - by his obedience to the commands of God, his faith was made perfect - it dictated obedience, he obeyed; and thus faith , had its consummation. Even true faith will soon die, if its possessor do not live in the spirit of obedience.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 22Seest thou - Margin, “Thou seest.” Either rendering is correct, and the sense is the same. The apostle means to say that this was so plain that they could not but see it. How faith wrought with his works - ́ sunērgeiCooperated with. The meaning of the word is, “to work together with anyone; to co operate,” 1 Corinthians 16:16; 2 Corinthians 6:1; then to aid, or help, Mark 16:20; to contribute to the production of any result, where two or more persons or…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. 22This verse explains 2:21 so that people will not understand it. Abraham was not justified (made right with God) by his actions alone. Instead, his faith and actions worked together to show his complete commitment to God (see Genesis 12:1–4; 18:1–27).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2222. Or, "thou seest." how--rather, "that." In the two clauses which follow, emphasize "faith" in the former, and "works" in the latter, to see the sense [Bengel]. faith wrought with his works--for it was by faith he offered his son. Literally, "was working (at the time) with his works." by works was faith made perfect--not was vivified, but attained its fully consummated development, and is shown to be real. So "my strength is made perfect in weakness,"…Read the comment

Topics related to James 2:22

• Abraham
• Faith
• Hypocrisy
• Justification
• Religion
• Righteousness

In the dictionaries

• Convince
• Dead
• Draw
• Justify
• Offend
• Respect
• Rich
• Sister
• Works, Good
• Faith

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