Bible Strands
James 2:23
And 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.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — James, writing to Jewish Christians in the diaspora, reaches the climax of his Abraham argument (2:14–26) against a bare faith-alone position. He cites the Genesis text to show that Abraham's credited righteousness was completed by his act, not preceded by it.
The words — ἐπληρὼθη (eplērōthē, G4137), aorist passive of plēroō, "was fulfilled," carries the verse's weight: the Scripture's intended meaning was realized in Abraham's deed. The aorist marks a single, decisive completion, not an ongoing process.
The thread — The quoted clause is Genesis 15:6 verbatim; the title "friend of God" (φίλος θεοῦ) echoes Isaiah 41:8 and 2 Chronicles 20:7. James thus binds the Abrahamic covenant text and the prophetic honorific into one argument.
Why it lands — The verse demands that a reader treat "believing" as something that can be fulfilled or not, i.e., as a committed act rather than a mental assent. It leaves no room for a faith that never moves toward a deed.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
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.
Cross-references
- Genesis 15:6 Abram believed the LORD, and it was credited to him as righteousness.
- Isaiah 41:8 “But you, O Israel, My servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, descendant of Abraham My friend—
- 2 Chronicles 20:7 Our God, did You not drive out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham Your friend?
- Galatians 3:6 So also, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
- Romans 4:22 This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.”
- Exodus 33:11 Thus the LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young assistant Joshua son of Nun would not leave the tent.
- Romans 4:3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
- John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
- Romans 11:2 God did not reject His people, whom He foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says about Elijah, how he appealed to God against Israel:
- Galatians 3:22 But the Scripture pronounces all things confined by sin, so that by faith in Jesus Christ the promise might be given to those who believe.