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 King James Version (NKJV)Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?

Context of James 2:21

19You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. 20How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless? 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? 22You see, his faith and his actions worked together. His actions made his faith complete. 23And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” He was even 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 24:3But I took your ancestor Abraham from the land beyond the Euphrates and led him into the land of Canaan. I gave him many descendants through his son Isaac.
• Isaiah 51:2Yes, think about Abraham, your ancestor, and Sarah, who gave birth to your nation. Abraham was only one man when I called him. But when I blessed him, he became a great nation.”
• Matthew 3:9Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones.
• Luke 1:73the covenant he swore with an oath to our ancestor Abraham.
• Luke 16:24“The rich man shouted, ‘Father Abraham, have some pity! Send Lazarus over here to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. I am in anguish in these flames.’
• John 8:39“Our father is Abraham!” they declared. “No,” Jesus replied, “for if you were really the children of Abraham, you would follow his example.
• Acts 7:2This was Stephen’s reply: “Brothers and fathers, listen to me. Our glorious God appeared to our ancestor Abraham in Mesopotamia before he settled in Haran.
• Romans 4:1Abraham was, humanly speaking, the founder of our Jewish nation. What did he discover about being made right with God?
• James 2:18Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.”
• Psalms 143:2Don’t put your servant on trial, for no one is innocent before you.
• Matthew 12:37The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you.”
• Matthew 25:31“But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne.
• Romans 3:20For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.
• Genesis 22:9When they arrived at the place where God had told him to go, Abraham built an altar and arranged the wood on it. Then he tied his son, Isaac, and laid him on the altar on top of 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
• Abraham, Abram
• Convince
• Dead
• Draw
• 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