James 2:21-26

New King James Version

²¹Was not Abraham our father justified by works ^(A)when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? ²²Do you see ^(B)that faith was working together with his works, and by ^(C)works faith was made ^[a]perfect? ²³And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, ^(D)“Abraham believed God, and it was ^[b]accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called ^(E)the friend of God. ²⁴You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

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

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

Read full chapter

Footnotes

James 2:22 complete
James 2:23 credited

James 2:21-26

American Standard Version

²¹Was not Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son upon the altar? ²²^[a]Thou seest that faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect; ²³and the scripture was fulfilled which saith, ^[b]And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness; ^[c]and he was called the friend of God. ²⁴Ye see that by works a man is justified, and not only by faith. ²⁵And in like manner was not also Rahab the harlot justified by works, in that she received the messengers, and sent them out another way? ²⁶For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, even so faith apart from works is dead.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

James 2:22 Or, Seest thou . . . perfect?
James 2:23 Gen. 15:6.
James 2:23 Isa. 41:8; 2 Chr. 20:7.

James 2:21-26

New International Version

²¹Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?^(A) ²²You see that his faith and his actions were working together,^(B) and his faith was made complete by what he did.^(C) ²³And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,”^[a]^(D) and he was called God’s friend.^(E) ²⁴You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.

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

Read full chapter