21 Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?(A) 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together,(B) and his faith was made complete by what he did.(C) 23 And 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) 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?(F) 26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.(G)

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Footnotes

  1. James 2:23 Gen. 15:6

21 Our ancestor Abraham was justified by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar, wasn’t he? 22 You[a] see that his faith worked together with what he did, and by his actions his faith was made complete. 23 And so the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”[b] And so he was called God’s friend. 24 You[c] observe that a person is justified through actions and not through faith alone. 25 Likewise, Rahab the prostitute was justified through actions when she welcomed the messengers[d] and sent them away on a different road, wasn’t she? 26 For just as the body without the spirit[e] is dead, so faith without actions is also dead.

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Footnotes

  1. James 2:22 The Gk. you is sing.
  2. James 2:23 Cf. Gen 15:6
  3. James 2:24 The Gk. you is pl.
  4. James 2:25 Other mss. read spies
  5. James 2:26 Or without breath