Lectionary Calendar
Monday, October 14th, 2024
the Week of Proper 23 / Ordinary 28
Attention!
Tired of seeing ads while studying? Now you can enjoy an "Ads Free" version of the site for as little as 10¢ a day and support a great cause!
Click here to learn more!

Read the Bible

Mace New Testament

James 2:24

you see then, that a man is accounted just for his actions, and not for his bare faith.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Abraham;   Faith;   Hypocrisy;   Religion;   Righteousness;   The Topic Concordance - Faith/faithfulness;   Justification;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Faith;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Abraham;   Faith;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Abraham;   Righteousness;   Romans, Theology of;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Faith;   Justification;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Antinomianism;   James, the Letter;   Judgment Day;   Justification;   Obedience;   Salvation;   Works;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Bible;   Canon of the New Testament;   Faith;   Games;   Idolatry;   James, Epistle of;   Justification, Justify;   Text of the New Testament;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Abraham ;   Faith;   Formalism;   Galatians Epistle to the;   Harlot ;   James Epistle of;   Law;   Man;   Regeneration;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Faith,;   Works;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Kingdom or Church of Christ, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Faith;   How;   James, Epistle of;   Justification;   Poverty;   Work;  

Devotionals:

- Daily Light on the Daily Path - Devotion for November 29;  

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
So you see that people are made right with God by what they do. They cannot be made right by faith alone.
Revised Standard Version
You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Ye se then how that of dedes a man is iustified and not of fayth only.
Hebrew Names Version
You see then that by works, a man is justified, and not only by faith.
New American Standard Bible
You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.
New Century Version
So you see that people are made right with God by what they do, not by faith only.
Update Bible Version
You see that by works a man is justified, and not only by faith.
Webster's Bible Translation
Ye see then that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
English Standard Version
You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.
World English Bible
You see then that by works, a man is justified, and not only by faith.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Ye see then, that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.
Weymouth's New Testament
You all see that it is because of actions that a man is pronounced righteous, and not simply because of faith.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Ye seen that a man is iustified of werkis, and not of feith oneli.
English Revised Version
Ye see that by works a man is justified, and not only by faith.
Berean Standard Bible
As you can see, a man is justified by his deeds and not by faith alone.
Contemporary English Version
You can now see that we please God by what we do and not only by what we believe.
Amplified Bible
You see that a man (believer) is justified by works and not by faith alone [that is, by acts of obedience a born-again believer reveals his faith].
American Standard Version
Ye see that by works a man is justified, and not only by faith.
Bible in Basic English
You see that a man's righteousness is judged by his works and not by his faith only.
Complete Jewish Bible
You see that a person is declared righteous because of actions and not because of faith alone.
Darby Translation
Ye see that a man is justified on the principle of works, and not on the principle of faith only.
International Standard Version
You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.
Etheridge Translation
Thou seest that by works man is justified, and not by faith alone.
Murdock Translation
Thou seest, that by works a man is justified, and not by faith alone.
King James Version (1611)
Ye see then, how that by workes a man is iustified, and not by faith only.
New Living Translation
So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone.
New Life Bible
A man becomes right with God by what he does and not by faith only.
New Revised Standard
You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Ye see then howe that of workes a man is iustified, and not of faith onely.
George Lamsa Translation
You see then, how a man by works becomes righteous, and not by faith only.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Ye see that - by works, a man is declared righteous, and not by faith alone.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Do you see that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Ye see then, howe that of deedes a man is iustified, and not of fayth only.
Good News Translation
You see, then, that it is by our actions that we are put right with God, and not by our faith alone.
Christian Standard Bible®
You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.
King James Version
Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
Lexham English Bible
You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.
Literal Translation
You see, then, that a man is justified out of works, and not out of faith only.
Young's Literal Translation
Ye see, then, that out of works is man declared righteous, and not out of faith only;
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Ye se then how that of dedes a man is iustified, and not of faith only
New English Translation
You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.
New King James Version
You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.
Simplified Cowboy Version
A cowboy is made right with God by putting his faith to work, not just by talkin' about it.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone.

Contextual Overview

14 What advantage is it, my brethren, for a man to say he has faith, if he has no beneficence? can such a faith save him? 15 suppose one of your brethren should be destitute of cloths, and of his daily nourishment, 16 and one of you should thus address him; "go and prosper, I wish you a warm fire, and a full meal:" without relieving his wants, would he be the better for your wish? 17 just so faith, if it be not operative, is intirely lifeless. 18 it will be said, "you have a speculative faith, but mine is practical. where is your faith, if no effects appear? as for me, my actions will vouch for my faith. 19 you believe there is but one God, very well: the demons believe as much, and tremble." 20 Vain man, must I show you how lifeless a thing faith is, without its effects? 21 was not our father Abraham treated as just, in consequence of his actions, when he had attempted to sacrifice his son upon the altar? 22 don't you see his actions and his faith conspir'd, and that his faith had its perfect effect in his conduct? 23 it was then, that those words of scripture were accomplished, "Abraham believed God, and he was regarded for it as a man of virtue, and was the favourite of God."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

James 2:15-18, James 2:21, James 2:22, Psalms 60:12

Reciprocal: Luke 10:29 - willing John 14:21 - that hath

Cross-References

Acts 11:23
who upon his arrival there, was glad to see such effects of the divine grace, and exhorted them all to remain firmly attach'd to the christian profession:
Romans 7:2
now a married woman is bound by the law to her living husband: but if her husband dieth, she is released from the marriage-contract.
1 Timothy 5:14
I enjoin therefore the young women to marry, to detest abortion, to govern their families, and give our enemies no handle for reproach.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Ye 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. Good works do not go before justification as causes or conditions, but follow it as fruits and effects:

and not by faith only: or as without works, or a mere historical faith, which being without works is dead, of which the apostle is speaking; and therefore can bear no testimony to a man's justification; hence it appears, that the Apostle James does not contradict the Apostle Paul in Romans 3:28 since they speak not of the same sort of faith; the one speaks of a mere profession of faith, a dead and lifeless one; the other of a true faith, which has Christ, and his righteousness, for its object, and works by love, and produces peace, joy, and comfort in the soul. Moreover, the Apostle Paul speaks of justification before God; and James speaks of it as it is known by its fruits unto men; the one speaks of a justification of their persons, in the sight of God; the other of the justification and approbation of their cause, their conduct, and their faith before men, and the vindication of them from all charges and calumnies of hypocrisy, and the like; the one speaks of good works as causes, which he denies to have any place as such in justification; and the other speaks of them as effects flowing from faith, and showing the truth of it, and so of justification by it; the one had to do with legalists and self-justiciaries, who sought righteousness not by faith, but by the works of the law, whom he opposed; and the other had to do with libertines, who cried up faith and knowledge, but had no regard to a religious life and conversation; and these things considered will tend to reconcile the two apostles about this business, 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. Good works do not go before justification as causes or conditions, but follow it as fruits and effects:

and not by faith only: or as without works, or a mere historical faith, which being without works is dead, of which the apostle is speaking; and therefore can bear no testimony to a man's justification; hence it appears, that the Apostle James does not contradict the Apostle Paul in Romans 3:28 since they speak not of the same sort of faith; the one speaks of a mere profession of faith, a dead and lifeless one; the other of a true faith, which has Christ, and his righteousness, for its object, and works by love, and produces peace, joy, and comfort in the soul. Moreover, the Apostle Paul speaks of justification before God; and James speaks of it as it is known by its fruits unto men; the one speaks of a justification of their persons, in the sight of God; the other of the justification and approbation of their cause, their conduct, and their faith before men, and the vindication of them from all charges and calumnies of hypocrisy, and the like; the one speaks of good works as causes, which he denies to have any place as such in justification; and the other speaks of them as effects flowing from faith, and showing the truth of it, and so of justification by it; the one had to do with legalists and self-justiciaries, who sought righteousness not by faith, but by the works of the law, whom he opposed; and the other had to do with libertines, who cried up faith and knowledge, but had no regard to a religious life and conversation; and these things considered will tend to reconcile the two apostles about this business.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Ye see then - From the course of reasoning pursued, and the example referred to.

How that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only - Not by a cold, abstract, inoperative faith. It must be by a faith that shall produce good works, and whose existence will be shown to men by good works. As justification takes place in the sight of God, it is by faith, for he sees that the faith is genuine, and that it will produce good works if the individual who exercises faith shall live; and he justifies men in view of that faith, and of no other. If he sees that the faith is merely speculative; that it is cold and dead, and would not produce good works, the man is not justified in his sight. As a matter of fact, therefore, it is only the faith that produces good works that justifies; and good works, therefore, as the proper expression of the nature of faith, foreseen by God as the certain result of faith, and actually performed as seen by men, are necessary in order to justification. In other words, no man will be justified who has not a faith which will produce good works, and which is of an operative and practical character. The ground of justification in the case is faith, and that only; the evidence of it, the carrying it out, the proof of the existence of the faith, is good works; and thus men are justified and saved not by mere abstract and cold faith, but by a faith necessarily connected with good works, and where good works perform an important part. James, therefore, does not contradict Paul, but he contradicts a false explanation of Paul’s doctrine. He does not deny that a man is justified in the sight of God by faith, for the very passage which he quotes shows that he believes that; but he does deny that a man is justified by a faith which would not produce good works, and which is not expressed by good works; and thus he maintains, as Paul always did, that nothing else than a holy life can show that a man is a true Christian, and is accepted of God.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 24. 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. He brought forth the fruits of righteousness; and his works justified-proved the genuineness of his faith; and he continued to enjoy the Divine approbation, which he could not have done had he not been thus obedient; for the Spirit of God would have been grieved, and his principle of faith would have perished. Obedience to God is essentially requisite to maintain faith. Faith lives, under God, by works; and works have their being and excellence from faith. Neither can subsist without the other, and this is the point which St. James labours to prove, in order to convince the Antinomians of his time that their faith was a delusion, and that the hopes built on it must needs perish.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile