James 2:24
in James 2As you can see, a man is justified by his deeds and not by faith alone.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Ye see that by works a man is justified, and not only by faith.
KJV
Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
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This verse in James 2
Commentary
4 notes on this verseYe see then how that by works a man is justified,.... Not as causes procuring his justification, but as effects declaring it; for the best works are imperfect, and cannot be a righteousness justifying in the sight of God, and are unprofitable in this respect; for when they are performed in the best manner, they are no other than what it is a man's duty to perform, and therefore cannot justify from sin he has committed: and besides, justification in this sense would frustrate the grace of God, make void the death of Christ, and encourage boasting in men.
This site's exposition
when he had offered Isaac
on James 2:21-24
Abraham is the shared exhibit: Paul cites Genesis 15:6 to prove the ungodly justified by believing (Romans 4:2-5), and James cites the Genesis 22 altar where the faith of thirty years before was made perfect, teleioo, brought to its intended completion, and the scripture was fulfilled, the reckoning of 15:6 vindicated in the offering. The two apostles use justified in different courts, Paul of the sinner's standing before God, where works of law are excluded, James of the professor's claim proven real before men; the Reformation line has said it as faith alone justifies, but the faith that justifies is never alone, and the Roman reading stands with its holders. By works a man is justified, and not by faith only strikes at the empty claim of 2:14, and the exposition teaches plainly that neither apostle contradicts the other. He was called the Friend of God, the title 2 Chronicles 20:7 and Isaiah 41:8 gave him.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
It was a done thing in the mind, and spirit, and resolution of Abraham, and God accepts it as if fully performed and accomplished. [4.] The actings of faith make it grow perfect, as the truth of faith makes it act. [5.] Such an acting faith will make others, as well as Abraham, friends of God. Thus Christ says to his disciples, I have called you friends, John xv.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Ye see then how - It is evident from this example that Abraham’s faith was not merely believing that there is a God; but a principle that led him to credit God’s promises relative to the future Redeemer, and to implore God’s mercy: this he received, and was justified by faith. His faith now began to work by love, and therefore he was found ever obedient to the will of his Maker.
The words behind it
11 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ὁρᾶτε | horate | You see | G3708 → | |
| ὅτι | hoti | that | G3754 → | 1292 times |
| ἐξ | ex | by | G1537 → | 911 times |
| ἔργων | ergon | works | G2041 → | 168 times |
| δικαιοῦται | dikaioutai | is justified | G1344 → | 38 times |
| ἄνθρωπος | anthropos | a man | G444 → | 549 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| οὐκ | ouk | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| ἐκ | ek | by | G1537 → | 911 times |
| πίστεως | pisteos | faith | G4102 → | 242 times |
| μόνον.¶ | monon | alone. | G3441 → |
ὁρᾶτεYou see
horateG3708 →
ὅτιthat
hotiG3754 →1292 times
ἐξby
exG1537 →911 times
ἔργωνworks
ergonG2041 →168 times
δικαιοῦταιis justified
dikaioutaiG1344 →38 times
ἄνθρωποςa man
anthroposG444 →549 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
οὐκnot
oukG3756 →1664 times
ἐκby
ekG1537 →911 times
πίστεωςfaith
pisteosG4102 →242 times
μόνον.¶alone.
mononG3441 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
5 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
Psalms 60:12With God we will perform with valor, and He will trample our enemies.
it leads to
- Psalms 44:5
Through You we repel our foes; through Your name we trample our enemies.
- Joshua 1:9
Have I not commanded you to be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
- Isaiah 63:3
“I have trodden the winepress alone, and no one from the nations was with Me. I trampled them in My anger and trod them down in My fury; their blood spattered My garments, and…
- Revelation 19:15
And from His mouth proceeds a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and He will rule them with an iron scepter. He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath…
- 1 Chronicles 19:13
Be strong and let us fight bravely for our people and for the cities of our God. May the LORD do what is good in His sight.”
- Psalms 44:5
Where this verse is studied
On this page
By subject
Faith34 verses
About James
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; 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) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.