For you will be considered righteous by the words [you speak] and you will be condemned by the words [you speak].”
James 2:21 - An Understandable Version (2005 edition) Was not our forefather Abraham made right with God by deeds [of obedience] when he offered his son Isaac [as a sacrifice] on the Altar? More versionsKing James Version (Oxford) 1769 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Amplified Bible - Classic Edition Was not our forefather Abraham [shown to be] justified (made acceptable to God) by [his] works when he brought to the altar as an offering his [own] son Isaac? [Gen. 22:1-14.] American Standard Version (1901) Was not Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son upon the altar? Common English Bible What about Abraham, our father? Wasn’t he shown to be righteous through his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? Catholic Public Domain Version Was not our father Abraham justified by means of works, by offering his son Isaac upon the altar? Douay-Rheims version of The Bible - 1752 version Was not Abraham our father justified by works, offering up Isaac his son upon the altar? |
For you will be considered righteous by the words [you speak] and you will be condemned by the words [you speak].”
and quit thinking to yourselves, we claim Abraham as our forefather, because I tell you, God is able to make Abraham’s children out of these stones.
[This Agreement was] the oath by which He swore to Abraham, our forefather,
And he shouted out, ‘Forefather Abraham, take pity on me and send Lazarus [to me], so he can dip the tip of his finger in water [and touch] my tongue to cool it, because I am in agony in these flames.’
Then the rich man said, ‘No, forefather Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, [then] they will repent [i.e., change their hearts and lives].’
They answered Him, “Our forefather was Abraham.” Jesus replied to them, “If you were Abraham’s descendants, you would do the [kinds of] deeds that Abraham did.
Are you greater [i.e., more important] than our forefather Abraham and the prophets, who [all] died? Who do you think you are?”
And he answered, “Brothers and fathers, listen to me: Our glorious God appeared to our forefather Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, [even] before he lived in Haran
This is because no human being can be considered right with God by [obeying] the requirements of a law. [Note: It is difficult to determine the exact sense in which “law” is used in these verses. It may be law generally, or the Law of Moses specifically. See Bruce, pages 52-58]. For the knowledge of what sin is comes from the Law of Moses.
And he also became the father of circumcised people [i.e., the Jews], who are not only circumcised, but who also follow the [same] example of faith [in God] which our forefather Abraham had before he was circumcised.
For this reason, the promise [i.e., of being made right with God] comes through faith [in God], according to His unearned favor, so that it may be [given] with certainty to all of Abraham’s descendants. The promise is given not only to those [who live] under the law [i.e., the Jews], but also to [all] those [who live] by faith, like Abraham. Abraham is the [spiritual] father of all of us [believers],
By [having] faith, when Abraham was tested [by God], he offered Isaac [as a sacrifice]. [Even though] he had received the promises [of having many descendants], he was ready to offer his only conceived [and eventually born] son,
But someone may say, “You have faith and I have [good] deeds.” [I reply], show me your faith without your [good] deeds, and I will show you my faith by my [good] deeds.
[So], you see, it is by deeds that a person is made right with God, and not by faith alone.