20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is [a]dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works (A)when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see (B)that faith was working together with his works, and by (C)works faith was made [b]perfect? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, (D)“Abraham believed God, and it was [c]accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called (E)the friend of God. 24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

25 Likewise, (F)was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?

26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

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Footnotes

  1. James 2:20 NU useless
  2. James 2:22 complete
  3. James 2:23 credited

20 You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless[a]?(A) 21 Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?(B) 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together,(C) and his faith was made complete by what he did.(D) 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,”[b](E) and he was called God’s friend.(F) 24 You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.

25 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?(G) 26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.(H)

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Footnotes

  1. James 2:20 Some early manuscripts dead
  2. James 2:23 Gen. 15:6