James 2:21

James 2:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
• New International Version (NIV)Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?
• English Standard Version (ESV)Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar?
• New Living Translation (NLT)Don’t you remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?

Context of James 2:21

19You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! 20But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? 23And 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.

James 2:21 word by word

Ἀβραὰμ ὁ πατὴρ ἡμῶν οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων ἐδικαιώθη ἀνενέγκας Ἰσαὰκ τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον;Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Was notοὐou · noG3756
• AbrahamἈβραάμAbraam · AbrahamG11
• ourἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• fatherὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• fatherπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
• justifiedδικαιόωdikaioō · to justifyG1344
• byἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• worksἔργονergon · workG2041
• when he had offeredἀναφέρωanapherō · to carry upG399
• IsaacἸσαάκIsaak · IsaacG2464
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• sonυἱόςuihos · sonG5207
• uponἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
• the altarθυσιαστήριονthusiastērion · altarG2379

Cross-references for James 2:21

• Joshua 24:3Then I took your father Abraham from the other side of the River, led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his descendants and gave him Isaac.
• Isaiah 51:2Look to Abraham your father, And to Sarah who bore you; For I called him alone, And blessed him and increased him.”
• Matthew 3:9and do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.
• Luke 1:73The oath which He swore to our father Abraham:
• Luke 16:24“Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’
• John 8:39They answered and said to Him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham.
• Acts 7:2And he said, “Brethren and fathers, listen: The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran,
• Romans 4:1What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh?
• James 2:18But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
• Psalms 143:2Do not enter into judgment with Your servant, For in Your sight no one living is righteous.
• Matthew 12:37For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
• Matthew 25:31“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.
• Romans 3:20Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
• Genesis 22:9Then they came to the place of which God had told him. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order; and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood.

Commentaries on James 2:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21Was not Abraham our father - Did not the conduct of Abraham, in offering up his son Isaac on the altar, sufficiently prove that he believed in God, and that it was his faith in him that led him to this extraordinary act of obedience?Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21Was not Abraham our father - Our progenitor, our ancestor; using the word “father,” as frequently occurs in the Bible, to denote a remote ancestor. Compare the notes at Matthew 1:1. A reference to his case would have great weight with those who were Jews by birth, and probably most of those to whom this Epistle was addressed were of this character. See the Introduction. Justified by works - That is, in the sense in which James is maintaining that a man…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. 20-26James shows through Scripture that true faith is shown through actions.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2121. Abraham ... justified by works--evidentially, and before men (see on Jas 2:18). In Jas 2:23, James, like Paul, recognizes the Scripture truth, that it was his faith that was counted to Abraham for righteousness in his justification before God. when he had offered--rather, "when he offered" [Alford], that is, brought as an offering at the altar; not implying that he actually offered him.Read the comment

Topics related to James 2:21

• Abraham
• Faith
• Hypocrisy
• Isaac
• Justification
• Obedience
• Religion
• Righteousness

In the dictionaries

• Abraham
• Isaac
• Convince
• Dead
• Draw
• Justify
• Offend
• Respect
• Rich
• Sister

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