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

21Wasn’t Abraham our father proved righteous by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? 22You see that faith worked together with his works, and by the works his faith was made complete. The Scripture was fulfilled that says, “And Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness”—and he was called God’s friend. 24You see that a man is proved righteous by works and not by faith alone. 25And likewise, wasn’t Rahab the prostitute also proved righteous by works when she welcomed the messengers and sent them out 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• the scriptureγραφήgraphē · a writingG1124
• was fulfilledπληρόωplēroō · to fulfillG4137
• which saithλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• ·δέde · thenG1161
• AbrahamἈβραάμAbraam · AbrahamG11
• believedπιστεύωpisteuō · to trust (in)G4100
• Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• it was imputedλογίζομαιlogizomai · to countG3049
• unto himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• forεἰςeis · towardG1519
• righteousnessδικαιοσύνηdikaiosunē · righteousnessG1343
• he was calledκαλέωkaleō · to call: callG2564
• the Friendφίλοςphilos · friendly/friendG5384

Cross-references for James 2:23

• Mark 12:10Haven’t you read this Scripture? ‘The stone which the builders rejected, this has become the chief cornerstone.
• Mark 15:28[footnote: Later mss. add: So the Scripture was fulfilled which says, 'He was counted with the sinners.' See Isa. 53:12.]
• Luke 4:21Then He began to tell them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your ears.”
• Acts 1:16“Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Ruach ha-Kodesh foretold by the mouth of David, concerning Judah—who became a guide to those who seized Yeshua.
• Romans 9:17For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I raised you up—to demonstrate My power in you, so My name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”
• Romans 11:2God has not rejected His people whom He knew beforehand. Or do you not know what the Scripture says about Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel?
• Galatians 3:8The Scriptures, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, proclaimed the Good News to Abraham in advance, saying, “All the nations shall be blessed through you.”
• 2 Timothy 3:16All Scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for restoration, and for training in righteousness,
• 1 Peter 2:6For it says in Scripture, “Behold, I lay in Zion a stone, a chosen, precious cornerstone. Whoever trusts in Him will never be put to shame.”
• Genesis 15:6Then he believed in Adonai and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.
• Romans 4:3For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
• Galatians 3:6Just as Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,”
• Exodus 33:11So Adonai spoke with Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend. Then he would return to the camp, but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, did not leave the Tent.
• 2 Chronicles 20:7Are You not our God who drove out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel and gave it to the descendants of Your friend Abraham forever?
• Job 16:21he contends with God on behalf of man as one pleads for a friend.
• Isaiah 41:8“But you, Israel, My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, descendant 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