James 2:23
in James 2And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called a friend of God.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
and the scripture was fulfilled which saith, And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness; and he was called the friend of God.
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.
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This verse in James 2
Commentary
13 notes on this verseAnd the Scripture was fulfilled,.... Gen 15:6 which speaks of Abraham's faith, and the imputation of to him for righteousness; for the above action of Abraham, in offering up his son, was a clear proof of the truth of his faith, there commended: by this it was made known what a strong faith he had in God, and what reason there was to believe that he was a justified person.
This site's exposition
Was not our father Abraham justified
on James 2:21-24
Abraham was justified by what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar, and his faith was perfected by what he did. Paul cites Genesis 15:6 for the sinner's standing before God (Romans 4:2-5), and James the Genesis 22 altar for faith proven real.
This site's exposition
he was called a friend of God
Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness comes from Genesis 15:6, spoken many years before the altar of Genesis 22. So fulfilled here carries a wider sense: the word first believed was fulfilled again when Abraham offered Isaac. He was called a friend of God.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
That Abraham believed God deep in his heart is a matter of faith alone, but that he took his son to sacrifice him … is not just a great act of faith but a great work as well.
Abraham was justified not by works but by faith. For although he had done many good things, he was not called a friend of God until he believed, and every one of his deeds was perfected by faith.
Abraham, who was called the friend of God, proved himself faithful by becoming obedient to the words of God.
Abraham our father was he not justified by works, offering Isaac his son upon the altar? see that faith did work with his works: and by the works the faith was complete? And the Scripture was fulfilled, saying, Abraham believed God, and it was reputed …
The Medieval Church1 voice
Abraham was a type of justification through faith alone when he "believed and it was accounted to him for righteousness" (Gen. 15:6), and a type of justification through works when he laid his son on the altar, for he not only performed the deed but …
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And the scripture - Which was afterwards written. Was hereby eminently fulfilled, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed to him for righteousness - This was twice fulfilled, - when Abraham first believed, and when he offered up Isaac. St. Paul speaks of the former fulfilling;
And thus he became the friend of God. Faith, producing such works, endeared him to the divine Being, and advanced him to very peculiar favours and intimacies with God. It is a great honour done to Abraham that he is called and counted the friend of God.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
And 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 Gen 15:
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
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 of faith. Isaac was the subject of the promises of God, that in him Abraham's seed should be called.
The 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 Gen 15:6; Rom 4:3 (note); Gal 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; so God took Abraham into intimate communion with himself, and poured out upon him the choicest of his blessings: for as God can never be in want, because he possesses all things; so Abraham his friend could never be destitute, because God was his friend.
The words behind it
20 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἐπληρώθη | eplerothe | was fulfilled | G4137 → | |
| ἡ | he | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| γραφὴ | graphe | Scripture | G1124 → | 49 times |
| ἡ | he | which | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| λέγουσα· | legousa | is saying; | G3004 → | 1325 times |
| ἐπίστευσεν | episteusen | Believed | G4100 → | 237 times |
| δὲ | de | then | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| Ἀβραὰμ | abraam | Abraham | G11 → | |
| τῷ | to | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεῷ | theo | in God | G2316 → | 1312 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἐλογίσθη | elogisthe | it was counted | G3049 → | |
| αὐτῷ | auto | to him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| εἰς | eis | for | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| δικαιοσύνην | dikaiosunen | righteousness | G1343 → | 92 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| φίλος | philos | a friend | G5384 → | |
| θεοῦ | theou | of God | G2316 → | 1312 times |
| ἐκλήθη. | eklethe | he was called. | G2564 → |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἐπληρώθηwas fulfilled
eplerotheG4137 →
ἡthe
heG3588 →19766 times
γραφὴScripture
grapheG1124 →49 times
ἡwhich
heG3588 →19766 times
λέγουσα·is saying;
legousaG3004 →1325 times
ἐπίστευσενBelieved
episteusenG4100 →237 times
δὲthen
deG1161 →2765 times
ἈβραὰμAbraham
abraamG11 →
τῷ<the>
toG3588 →19766 times
θεῷin God
theoG2316 →1312 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἐλογίσθηit was counted
elogistheG3049 →
αὐτῷto him
autoG846 →5565 times
εἰςfor
eisG1519 →1755 times
δικαιοσύνηνrighteousness
dikaiosunenG1343 →92 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
φίλοςa friend
philosG5384 →
θεοῦof God
theouG2316 →1312 times
ἐκλήθη.he was called.
ekletheG2564 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Genesis 15:6Abram believed the LORD, and it was credited to him as righteousness.
it leads to
- Romans 4:3–6
For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Galatians 3:6–14
So also, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
- Romans 4:9
Is this blessing only on the circumcised, or also on the uncircumcised? We have been saying that Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness.
- Romans 4:20–25
Yet he did not waver through disbelief in the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,
- Psalms 106:31
It was credited to him as righteousness for endless generations to come.
- Romans 4:3–6
Through
Galatians 3:6So also, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
it leads to
- Genesis 15:6
Abram believed the LORD, and it was credited to him as righteousness.
- Romans 4:21–22
being fully persuaded that God was able to do what He had promised.
- Genesis 15:6
Through
Isaiah 41:8“But you, O Israel, My servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, descendant of Abraham My friend—
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 14:2
for you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD has chosen you to be a people for His prized possession out of all the peoples on the face of the…
- Deuteronomy 14:2
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies12
On this verse
About James
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 12 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, SERMONS 2.9; Clement of Rome, LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS 10.1; Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lecture 5:5; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Calvin, Commentary on James; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on James and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on James.