James 2:21 Meaning and Explanation
“Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Abraham was justified by works when he offered Isaac on the altar.
What Does James 2:21 Mean?
James calls Abraham, father of the faithful, as his first witness. Was he not justified by works when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? The point at issue is what kind of faith Abraham had, and James points to the moment it was supremely proven.
Long before, Abraham had believed God's promise; on Mount Moriah that belief became visible in the hardest act of obedience imaginable. His faith and his works moved together, and in the offering of Isaac his trust was shown to be real. James is not setting works against the faith Abraham already had; he is showing that Abraham's faith was the living kind that acts. The reader sees in the patriarch what living faith looks like when it is put to the test.
James 2:21 in the Original Language
dikaioo (δικαιόω), 'justified' -- to be declared or shown to be righteous.
Frequently Asked Questions About James 2:21
What does James 2:21 mean?
Abraham was justified by works when he offered Isaac on the altar.